The National Practitioner Data Bank

Excerpt

The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) is a centralized database that is overseen by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that pools reports of medical malpractice and other aversive actions taken against health care workers. Information is submitted to NPDB by agencies such as hospitals, state licensing boards, and medical malpractice insurance companies. The records that the NPDB compile are healthcare-related criminal convictions and civil judgments (i.e., medical malpractice), final decisions rendered by licensure and certification actions, and other adjudicated actions rendered. Information contained in the database is utilized to make employment decisions, track a physician's records as well as aid in medical privileging. The records contained in NPDB are protected and only authorized users (i.e., hospitals or state licensure board) considering a physician can obtain the record via a query.