What is one type of information that must be reported to the NPDB? A. Occurrences of HIV/AIDS B. Content of incident reports C. Confidentiality safeguards D. Medical malpractice payments

Answer: D. Medical malpractice payments

Explanation: The information required to be reported to the NPDB is applicable to physicians and dentists and, in some cases, other practitioners who are licensed or otherwise authorized by a state to provide healthcare services. Here are the types of information that must be reported:

1. Medical malpractice payments. Each entity that makes a medical malpractice payment for the benefit of a physician, dentist, or other healthcare practitioner in settlement of, or in partial or complete satisfaction of, a written claim or a judgment against that practitioner, must report certain payment information to the NPDB.

2. Adverse licensure actions. State medical and dental boards must report certain disciplinary actions related to professional competence or conduct taken against the licenses of physicians or dentists. Such licensure actions include revocation, suspension, censure, reprimand, probation, and surrender.

3. Adverse clinical privileges actions

* Mandatory reporting. Hospitals and other eligible healthcare entities must report professional review actions that adversely affect a physician’s or dentist’s clinical privileges for a period of more than 30 days.

* Voluntary reporting. Hospitals and other healthcare entities may report adverse actions taken against the clinical privileges of licensed healthcare practitioners other than physicians and dentists.

4. Adverse professional membership actions

* Mandatory reporting. Professional societies must report specific information when any professional review action, based on reasons related to professional competence or conduct, adversely affects a professional membership of a physician or dentist.

* Voluntary reporting. Professional societies related to health disciplines other than medicine and dentistry may similarly report adverse actions taken against the membership of their healthcare practitioners.

Sanctions for Failing to Report

Anyone paying medical malpractice who fails to report these payments in accordance with Section 421(c) of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 is subject to a civil money penalty of up to $11,000 for each such payment involved. Other penalties apply to hospitals and healthcare entities that fail to report malpractice payments, including losing their immunity for liability for a period of three years. PF