What is the purpose of the National Practitioner Data Bank?

The purpose of the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) is multifaceted, but primarily, it serves to improve health care quality, protect the public, and reduce health care fraud and abuse by collecting and disclosing information about health care practitioners. One of its key functions is to document actions against health care providers who have violated certain standards or regulations. This includes reporting instances of disciplinary actions taken against healthcare providers, which can encompass violations of patient rights, professional misconduct, or incompetence.

While tracking medical malpractice suits is related to the functions of the NPDB, the specific focus on documenting violations encompasses a broader range of actions against practitioners that may compromise patient safety and rights. Similarly, while reporting health care fraud and actions against noncompliant providers is important for regulatory purposes, the core objective of the NPDB revolves around maintaining a comprehensive record of actions that directly impact patient care and rights.