TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of the National Practitioner Data Bank in the credentialing process
AU - Waters, Teresa M.
AU - Warnecke, Richard B.
AU - Parsons, Jennifer
AU - Almagor, Orit
AU - Budetti, Peter P.
PY - 2006/1
Y1 - 2006/1
N2 - Federal law requires hospitals and permits other entities to seek information from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) but places no requirements on how that information should be used. Our survey of NPDB users demonstrates that although the NPDB has generated substantial controversy and its information is nominally available from other sources, it still plays an important role in the credentialing process. Most institutions make timely NPDB inquiries that facilitate widespread use of the information in credentialing activities (4-5 individuals or committees). However, in 3% to 7% of cases, a decision was reached before the institution had the NPDB report. Between 5% and 30% of privileging and licensure applications involving an NPDB report were not granted "as requested," suggesting the NPDB data are important to the process. Unfortunately, underreporting was also evident: 60% to 75% of reportable actions were not reported, limiting the information to which health care entities have access.
AB - Federal law requires hospitals and permits other entities to seek information from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) but places no requirements on how that information should be used. Our survey of NPDB users demonstrates that although the NPDB has generated substantial controversy and its information is nominally available from other sources, it still plays an important role in the credentialing process. Most institutions make timely NPDB inquiries that facilitate widespread use of the information in credentialing activities (4-5 individuals or committees). However, in 3% to 7% of cases, a decision was reached before the institution had the NPDB report. Between 5% and 30% of privileging and licensure applications involving an NPDB report were not granted "as requested," suggesting the NPDB data are important to the process. Unfortunately, underreporting was also evident: 60% to 75% of reportable actions were not reported, limiting the information to which health care entities have access.
KW - Credentialing
KW - Hospital reporting
KW - NPDB
KW - National Practitioner Data Bank
KW - Quality improvement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=32044434909&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=32044434909&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1062860605283644
DO - 10.1177/1062860605283644
M3 - Article
C2 - 16401703
AN - SCOPUS:32044434909
VL - 21
SP - 30
EP - 39
IS - 1
ER -