Physician networking website Doximity is taking steps to protect its millions of members from a spike in harassment and violence from patients by launching a free service that scrubs provider's personal contact information from the internet, according to a Nov. 1 report from CNBC.
The service, DocDefender, scans dozens of common websites where a physician's information might reside and begins the removal process.
Doximity's goal is to give physicians peace of mind and allow them to feel safer when it comes to caring for patients. Since 2020, there has been an uptick in violence toward healthcare workers both in and outside of the office.
In March, Doximity workshopped the platform with 200 providers, who all provided positive feedback, according to the report.
In May, it conducted a survey that showed 85% of physicians worry about patients accessing their personal information online.
Amit Phull, MD, Doximity's chief physician executive, told CNBC that when testing the technology, he discovered his phone number, his relatives, his past and current addresses and even a map to his old home on more than 25 websites.
Users of DocDefender can monitor the information removal process directly and will receive regular reports on new listings and additional scans.
The DocDefender service will be available to all physicians users on Nov. 1 and will expand to nurse practitioners and other clinicians at a later date.