What type of data does the National Practitioner Data Bank primarily contain?

The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) primarily contains information related to actions taken against health care providers. This includes data on adverse actions such as licenses that have been revoked or suspended, malpractice settlements, and disciplinary actions taken by hospitals or professional licensing boards. The purpose of the NPDB is to protect the public by providing a comprehensive source of information on the professional competence and conduct of healthcare providers.

This focus on actions taken against healthcare providers is crucial for ensuring that hospitals and health care organizations can make informed decisions when hiring or privileging physicians and other medical professionals. It serves as a critical tool for promoting accountability in the healthcare system.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of the NPDB. Financial data of medical practices, while important in a different context, is not what the NPDB collects. Similarly, criminal records may be maintained by law enforcement agencies but are not the primary function of the NPDB, nor does the NPDB focus on patient satisfaction surveys, which are used to assess patient experiences but are outside the scope of the data collected by the NPDB.