Explain how and why physician incompetency is reported. PHYSICIAN COMPETENCY Con

Question

Explain how and why physician incompetency is reported.

PHYSICIAN COMPETENCY Congress enacted the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA)19 of 1986 to improve the quality of medical care by encouraging physicians to participate in peer review and by restricting the ability of incompetent physicians to move from state to state without disclosure or discovery of their previ- ous substandard performance or unprofessional conduct. The HCQIA was enacted in part to provide those persons giving information to professional review bodies and those assisting in review activities limited immunity from damages that may arise as a result of adverse decisions that affect a physician's medical staff privileges. Prior to enacting the HCQIA, Congress found that "[t he increasing occurrence of medical malpractice and the need to improve the quality of medical care.. . [had] become nationwide problems,;" especially in light of"the ability of incompetent physicians to move from State to State without disclosure or discovery of the physician's previous damaging or incompetent performance."20 HCQIA was enacted to facilitate the frank exchange of information among professionals who conduct peer review inquiries without the fear of reprisals in civil lawsuits. The statute attempts to balance the chilling effect of litigation on peer review with concerns for protecting physi- cians who are improperly subjected to disciplinary action.

Explanation / Answer

The National Practioners data bank is a national repository of information with the primary purpose of facilitating a comprehensive review of physicians and other healthcare practitioner’s credentials. Hospitals are required to report to the NPDB professional review actions related to a professionals competence or conduct that adversely affect clinical privileges. Professional incompetency is reported due to the increasing occurrence of medical malpractice and the ability of incompetent physicians to move from state to state without disclosure of discovery of the physicians previous damaging or incompetence performance. The NPDB provides hospitals with a snapshot of a professional’s history before credentialing.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse E
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.