As a reminder to our healthcare clients, Hire Image  is a registered authorized agent of the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). The NPDB houses centralized information about medical errors, negligence, and malpractice to reduce healthcare fraud and abuse. As a registered authorized agent, we are permitted to query the NPDB on your behalf for information related to medical malpractice payments and certain adverse actions related to health care practitioners, providers, and suppliers in certain circumstances.

Hospitals must query in the following situations:

• When a physician, dentist, or other health care practitioner applies for medical staff appointment (courtesy or otherwise) or for clinical privileges, including temporary privileges
• Every 2 years (biennially) on all physicians, dentists, and other health care practitioners who are on the medical staff (courtesy or otherwise) or who hold clinical privileges
• When a health care practitioner wishes to add to or expand existing privileges and when a practitioner submits an application for temporary privileges
• Each time a locum tenens health care practitioner makes an application for temporary privileges
• On residents and interns when such individuals are appointed to the medical staff or granted clinical privileges to practice outside the parameters of a formal medical education program

Generally, hospitals may also query when the hospital is entering into an employment or affiliation relationship with the health care provider, or when the hospital is engaging in professional review activity.

Other health care entities generally may query the NPDB:

• When they have or may be entering into employment or affiliation relationships with health care practitioners
• When health care practitioners apply for clinical privileges or medical staff appointments
• When they are engaging in professional review activity

Information provided by the NPDB is confidential and not available to the public.

For more information on this service, please contact Laura Goble, Director of Compliance.