NPDB Insights - July 2023

Is It Reportable?

The authorized submitter for a medical malpractice payer found documentation of reportable payments that were not reported to the NPDB in a timely manner. What should the authorized submitter do?

The authorized submitter should submit reports on those payments. While eligible entities must report medical malpractice payments and other required actions to the NPDB within 30 calendar days of the date the action was taken or the payment was made, entities are not excused from reporting simply because they missed a reporting deadline.

All About Authorized Agents

Authorized agents can help a health care organization by submitting reports and queries on its behalf. Agents are registered organizations separate from your health care organization that can be given the authority to query or report or both on your behalf. An agent is frequently an independent contractor who is used for centralized credentialing.

These agents, called Credentials Verification Organizations, are used by both high-volume credentialing departments and small medical staff services offices.

Do you have questions about authorized agents? Check out these FAQs!

• How do I find an authorized agent?
• How do I designate an agent to query or report on my behalf?
• How do I terminate my organization's relationship with my agent?

Important Note: Even when using an authorized agent, your organization is still legally responsible for ensuring that all required reports and queries are submitted.

Can My Organization Use Continuous Query with an Authorized Agent?

Yes. Health care organizations can use Continuous Query even if they have an authorized agent querying on their behalf. Visit our How to Query as an Authorized Agent page for step-by-step instructions on how to enroll practitioners in Continuous Query while using an authorized agent.

Important Notes:

• Even if you use an authorized agent, your organization is still responsible for making sure it submits all queries as required by law.
• Authorized agents must query the NPDB separately on behalf of each eligible entity they represent. The response to an NPDB query submitted for one entity cannot be disclosed to another entity.
• Authorized agents must keep Continuous Query enrollments current for each entity, including cancelling enrollments when a practitioner no longer has a relationship with the entity.

Report Types: What's the Difference?

The NPDB has four different report types: Initial, Correction, Revision-to-Action, and Void.

Initial Report

An Initial Report is the first report submitted to and processed by the NPDB.

Correction Report

A Correction Report fixes an error or omission in a previously submitted report. The reporter must submit a Correction as soon as an error or omission is discovered.

A Correction replaces a previously submitted report. Corrections can be submitted as often as necessary.

Revision-to-Action Report

A Revision-to-Action Report is a modification to an action that has already been reported. In other words, it is a report of an additional or continuing action that is related to a previously reported action.

A Revision-to-Action does not replace the preceding report(s). Rather, it becomes an additional part of the disclosable record.

Void Report

A Void Report is the withdrawal of a report in its entirety from the NPDB. Voids occur when an entity reports an action that is not reportable. When a report is voided it is removed from the subject's viewable record.

A reporting entity may void a report at any time for one of the following reasons:

• The report was submitted in error,
• The action was not reportable because ti did not meet NPDB reporting requirements, or
• The action was overturned on appeal.

Visit our About Reporting page and the NPDB Guidebook to learn more about reporting and report types.

Dear NPDB

Does the NPDB accept digital notarization?

Yes. The NPDB accepts digitally notarized documents from all states that allow e-notary services. Notaries must follow their state's requirements for digital notarization. In most cases, the signer and notary personally appear before each other through a real-time video conference with both audio and video communication feeds.

The NPDB encourages the use of digital operations to promote faster, more secure, and more eco-friendly business practices. Another example is our digitally certified Self-Query responses feature.