The National Practitioner Data Bank houses confidential information used by state medical boards, hospitals and health insurance companies to grant privileges or licenses. The data includes identifiers as well as malpractice histories and disciplinary actions taken against each healthcare practitioner.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!
Public access to these records has been limited: Consumers were able to view records, but identifiers such as names and hospitals are removed. For increased security, the database also did not specify age or dollar amounts of malpractice settlements, rather using ranges such as age 40 to 49, according to the report.
HHS said it shut down public access to the database due to the media’s ability to “triangulate” the confidential data with court records to find out otherwise classified information. “We have a responsibility to make sure under federal law that it remains confidential,” an HHS spokesperson said.
HHS may re-establish limited public access of the data after a “thorough analysis of the data field,” according to the report.
Related Articles on Quality:
Joint Commission Names 405 Top Performing Hospitals on Key Quality Measures
Healthcare Leaders Agree Patient Literacy, Communication Critical for Quality Care
Art Classes Improve Medical Residents’ Analysis of Information, Communication
