Can my search for reports (self-query) be used to satisfy requirements for peer review and employment?
A practitioner or organization may share the information obtained by their search with whomever they choose; however, such shared information does not satisfy a hospital’s legal requirement to query the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) whenever a physician, dentist, or other health care practitioner applies for clinical privileges or a medical staff appointment. Hospitals are required to query the NPDB every two years on practitioners that hold clinical privileges or membership on their medical staff. Note: Other health care organizations that may, but are not required to query, should be aware of the risk of relying on self-query responses submitted by practitioners. Please be advised that a Data Bank response can be relied on only if it is received in the original sealed envelope. The Data Bank is aware of instances in which practitioners have attempted to alter or forge results prior to providing them to insurers, State licensing boards, or health care organizations.
