Federal doctor number
The national doctor's number (BAN) is a unique identification number for doctors in Germany. It was introduced across Germany on July 1, 2003. The nine-digit number, which is kept in the registration system of every medical association , is made up of the internal doctor number and the number of the state medical association in whose area the doctor first receives a license to practice medicine . Doctors who were already registered in a medical association before the introduction of the BAN received the medical association number to which the doctor belonged on July 1, 2003. The national doctor number remains permanently assigned to the respective doctor and is retained even if the state medical association changes. When it was introduced, the BAN was an important prerequisite for the introduction of an electronic doctor's ID .