Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Adverse Information on Health Care Practitioners

On March 1st, the National Practitioner Data Bank for Adverse Information on Physicians and Other Health Care Practitioners becomes available to hospitals and other eligible ‘queries’.

Originally created 22 years ago by Congress, it was intended as a one stop clearinghouse to check for disciplinary actions taken anywhere in the country against health care professionals.

This expanded version includes not only doctors and dentists but all licensed health care workers such as pharmacists, technicians, nurses, and aides.

ProPublica and the Los Angeles Times offer an investigation into problems with failed oversight, missing data and flaws in reporting and compiling of data by both Federal and State governments. Dangerous Caregivers Missing From Federal Database 

Unquestionably there are pluses and minuses whenever government collects and compiles data no matter how well intended. A month ago in ooops! Government looses hard drive I shared my own experience.

What hits me right up side the head about this data bank is who is authorized to query.
What about ‘we the people’? Are we not the ultimate employers of health care?

What is this … government knows best … hospital knows best … lawyers know best … BUNK! Who is more affected by ‘adverse information on physicians and other health care practitioners’ than the people receiving care?

On the White House web site you can read “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government … Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens …” I guess you can find graffiti anywhere.

Caregivingly Yours, Patrick Leer
web site: http://caregivinglyyours.com/
videos: http://www.youtube.com/daddyleer

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