National practitioner data bank: Who can open the vault?

Abstract

The National Provider Data Bank (NPDB) was created to restrict physicians from practicing "anonymously" across state lines. But a recent Government Accounting Office report stated that the NPDB is flawed because of underreporting, incorrect reporting, and limited access. For example, a private settlement between a physician and patient is not a reportable event because physicians are not defined as "eligible entities" under the law. The author discusses measures for improving the accuracy of Data Bank information and alternatives providing limited public access to physician information.