The federal government has expanded reporting requirements in regulation for disciplinary actions against licensed health care practitioners, including physician assistants. Effective March 1, licensing boards, hospitals and certain professional societies must report to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) adverse actions taken against all health care practitioners. Previously, disciplinary reports on only physicians and dentists were required. While the NPDB has collected reports on all malpractice payments made on behalf of PAs since 1990, the new regulations expand the reporting requirements to include all disciplinary actions. The 2010 regulations also require that professional associations with formal peer review processes, like AAPA, report adverse actions taken against members. Until now, such reports by AAPA were optional.
There are two federal data banks in which the reports are collected – NPDB and the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB). Reports to the HIPDB are made by federal and state licensing agencies, federal and state prosecutors, and federal and state government agencies that have excluded a practitioner, provider or supplier from their health plan. Some state licensure actions are reported to both data banks. PAs have been included in reports to the HIPDB since it began collecting data in November 1999 concerning actions taken on or after August 21, 1996. The March 1 regulations did not make any changes to HIPDB reporting requirements.
Because physician assistants can be reported to both NPDB and HIPDB, they are permitted to self-query both data banks to see whether any reports have been filed against them. For more information, please contact Ellen Rathfon, AAPA Senior Director for Professional Affairs, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
There are two federal data banks in which the reports are collected – NPDB and the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB). Reports to the HIPDB are made by federal and state licensing agencies, federal and state prosecutors, and federal and state government agencies that have excluded a practitioner, provider or supplier from their health plan. Some state licensure actions are reported to both data banks. PAs have been included in reports to the HIPDB since it began collecting data in November 1999 concerning actions taken on or after August 21, 1996. The March 1 regulations did not make any changes to HIPDB reporting requirements.
Because physician assistants can be reported to both NPDB and HIPDB, they are permitted to self-query both data banks to see whether any reports have been filed against them. For more information, please contact Ellen Rathfon, AAPA Senior Director for Professional Affairs, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
