ISO/TS 27527:2010 provides a framework for improving the positive identification of providers. Identification of "providers" encompasses individuals and organizations. ISO/TS 27527:2010 includes data elements needed for identification of individual providers (i.e. individuals) and data elements needed for the identification of organization providers (i.e. organizations). "Identification" in ISO/TS 27527:2010 refers both to the process of being able to identify individuals and organizations, and the data elements required to support that identification manually and from a computer processing perspective.

ISO/TS 27527:2010 can be applied to all providers of services, individuals and organizations. It details both data and processes for collection and application of identifying information for providers. It defines demographic and other identifying data elements suited to capture and use for the identification of providers in health care settings and provides guidance on their application.

ISO/TS 27527:2010 provides:

• definitions of data elements to support the identification of individual providers and organizational providers for purposes such as electronic health record authentication and authorization, communications, role definitions, delegation of authority, and the management of certification of individuals where more than one discipline is concerned;
• guidance on the development, population, governance and ongoing management of provider identifiers from multiple potential sources. This includes identification of processes to support national, multinational and provincial/state or local level identification. Unique identifier structures may differ for different purposes, or with different originating organizations. For this reason, a generic approach to the structure of these identifiers is given in ISO/TS 27527:2010 to support multiple unique identifiers and the ability to link these to the relevant provider.
• Annex A provides information to support the process of identification and implementation of provider identification in health care information systems.

ISO/TS 27527:2010 is primarily concerned with provider identification data for clinical and administrative purposes. ISO/TS 27527:2010 is intended for use by health and health-related establishments that create, use or maintain records on providers. Establishments are intended to use ISO/TS 27527:2010, where appropriate, for collecting data when registering providers.

ISO/TS 27527:2010 does not include the process for development of unique identifiers. Standards for the development of identifiers are provided in ISO/TS 22220.

Data required to meet identification purposes is highly dependent upon the place and purpose of identification. ISO/TS 27527:2010 identifies a range of data that support the identification of an individual or organization used in different health care environments.

ISO/TS 27527:2010 does not attempt to identify all the use cases for which the items included are relevant; however, the data elements are provided to allow their consistent representation where they are found appropriate to support identification activities of the organization or jurisdiction.