Public Outcry Follows HHS Decision To Cut Off Public NPDB Access
I have been somewhat amazed by the protest surrounding the Department of Health and Human Services' decision to shut down public access to the National Practitioner Data Bank. Given that the only NPDB records available to the general public are devoid of any identifying details like names of parties, ages, or even the amount of malpractice settlement, it initially seemed that perusing the "public" version of the database would be about as exciting as reading a blank notebook.
However, apparently what some creative journalists and public interest groups had been doing was matching the facts in the redacted NPDB reports with court records, thereby identifying the specific individuals involved in certain reports such as malpractice payments.
Consumer watchdog groups such as Public Citizens have alleged that by removing public access to the NPDB, HHS is denying them access to data that is "is crucial to patient safety and research aimed at informed public policy decisions concerning malpractice, tort reform, peer review, and medical licensing." However, supporters of HHS's decision claim that this lack of confidentiality places even more stress on the peer review environment.
Personally, I am more concerned that the practice of viewing redacted NPDB reports and matching them with court records may lead to a physician being erroneously "identified", or even unfairly classified as a "bad physician" by laymen who have no medical background or formal training.
Providers and members of the public with strong opinions on restoring public access to the NPBD may want to consider sending letters to NPDB administrators at the address below.
Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D.,R.N.
Administrator
Health Resources and Services Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Cynthia Grubbs R.N., J.D.
Director
Division of Practitioner Data Banks
Bureau of Health Professions
Health Resources and Services Administration
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
