Q&A: Reporting Clinical Privileges Actions

27. The hospital where a physician held clinical privileges as a surgeon initiated an investigation and suspended her privileges after receiving a complaint against the surgeon from a patient. Two weeks later, the hospital offered the surgeon the option of returning to work if she agreed to certain restrictions on her privileges. The surgeon chose not to accept the offer and, instead, resigned her clinical privileges. However, after the surgeon resigned, the hospital submitted a report to the NPDB indicating the surgeon resigned while under investigation. The surgeon contended that the investigation was over as evidenced by the hospital's offer to let her return to work. Is the surgeon correct?

    No. An investigation is considered ongoing until the health care entity's decision-making authority takes a final action or formally closes the investigation. In this situation, the hospital had not taken a final action or formally closed the investigation. Therefore, for purposes of NPDB reporting, the investigation was still ongoing at the time of resignation.