Continuous Query Recognition Letter - The Joint Commission

The Joint Commission

May 21 2009

Nicole Greene
Chief, Policy & Analysis Branch
DHHS/HRSA/BPHr
Division of Practitioners Data Banks
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Dear Ms. Greene:

The Joint Commission recognizes the Proactive Disclosure Service (PDS), the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) method of accessing information in the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), as an acceptable alternative to directly querying the NPDB. HRSA's Office of General Counsel has stated that enrollment in the PDS meets the hospital querying requirements of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, as amended.

Sincerely,

/s/
Robert A. Wise, MD
Vice President
Division of Standards & Survey Methods

RAW/rz