Medical Journal Houston Vol. 11, Issue 14, May 2015 | Page 3

Page
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Journal -.Houston. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
. . . . . . . .

May 2015

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LEGAL
AFFAIRS

NPDB releases a revised
version of the NPDB Guidebook
By Mary M.
Bearden and
Allison Shelton,
Brown & Fortunato,
P.C.
In April, the National
Practitioner
Data
Bank
(NPDB) released a revised
version of the NPDB
Guidebook.
The revised
version of the Guidebook
includes significant revisions
to the chapter addressing reports of adverse
actions by health care entities.
The NPDB Guidebook’s chapter on reports
assists health care entities in complying with
the reporting obligations set forth under
the Health Care Quality Improvement Act

(HCQIA). Generally, health care entities
have a statutory duty to report certain
actions taken against the clinical privileges
of physicians and dentists. Such actions
include the denial, restriction, reduction,
suspension, or termination of a practitioner’s
clinical privileges.
These actions are
reportable under HCQIA when they (1)
last more than more than 30 days; (2) result
from a professional review action; and (3)
are based on the practitioner’s professional
competence or conduc Ёѡ