Public Citizen comments on NPDB Guidebook revisions

Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization with more than 300,000 members and supporters nationwide, last month issued comments on the HRSA’s proposed changes to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Guidebook. In a letter posted on the organization’s website, authors Alan Levine, Sidney M. Wolfe, MD, and Michael A. Carome, MD, propose changes to the Guidebook in response to concerns with guidance for practitioner identification, temporary clinical privileges for practitioners under investigation, and reporting clinical privileges actions. Among their comments:

• State medical boards do not always receive copies of clinical privileges action reports. “Specific language to address the problem should be included in the guidebook,” the authors stated.  

• The section on consent agreements needs greater depth because most state medical boards use consent agreements extensively.

• Regarding reporting private accreditation organization negative actions or findings, the Guidebook appears to state that only final negative accreditation actions are reportable. It is our understanding that appeals could last months, putting patients at risk. … Public Citizen recommends that any negative accreditation action, regardless of its provisional status, be reportable.”

 Source: Public Citizen