The types of practitioners reported to the NPDB include, but are not limited to, the following:
Over the years, the number of reports processed annually by the NPDB has increased substantially. Between 2009 and 2010, the number of reports submitted annually to the NPDB more than doubled (Table 4). This dramatic increase may, in part, represent the impact of implementing Section 1921 as well as the submission of several multi-year report files. The implementation of Section 1921 coupled with the increased efforts on the part of the DPDB's Compliance Branch produced large numbers of Adverse Action Reports processed in 2010.
Processed Year | All | Number of Reports Malpractice |
Number of Reports Adverse Action |
Percent of All Reports Malpractice |
Percent of All Reports Adverse Action |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | 2,320 | 2,108 | 212 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
1991 | 21,086 | 17,772 | 3,314 | 84.3 | 15.7 |
1992 | 23,498 | 19,751 | 3,747 | 84.1 | 15.9 |
1993 | 23,284 | 19,242 | 4,042 | 82.6 | 17.4 |
1994 | 24,295 | 19,647 | 4,648 | 80.9 | 19.1 |
1995 | 22,197 | 17,677 | 4,520 | 79.6 | 20.4 |
1996 | 23,940 | 18,897 | 5,043 | 78.9 | 21.1 |
1997 | 23,126 | 18,264 | 4,862 | 79.0 | 21.0 |
1998 | 22,348 | 17,296 | 5,052 | 77.4 | 22.6 |
1999 | 24,787 | 18,677 | 6,110 | 75.3 | 24.7 |
2000 | 61,832 | 19,131 | 42,701 | 30.9 | 69.1 |
2001 | 36,784 | 20,353 | 16,431 | 55.3 | 44.7 |
2002 | 39,319 | 18,817 | 20,502 | 47.9 | 52.1 |
2003 | 42,173 | 18,683 | 23,490 | 44.3 | 55.7 |
2004 | 38,627 | 17,549 | 21,078 | 45.4 | 54.6 |
2005 | 39,395 | 17,150 | 22,245 | 43.5 | 56.5 |
2006 | 40,041 | 15,703 | 24,338 | 39.2 | 60.8 |
2007 | 39,953 | 14,457 | 25,496 | 36.2 | 63.8 |
2008 | 52,746 | 14,095 | 38,651 | 26.7 | 73.3 |
2009 | 43,344 | 14,590 | 28,754 | 33.7 | 66.3 |
2010 | 115,521 | 14,399 | 101,122 | 12.5 | 87.5 |
2011 | 85,554 | 13,308 | 72,246 | 15.6 | 84.4 |
2012 | 76,839 | 12,598 | 64,241 | 16.4 | 83.6 |
Total | 923,009 | 380,164 | 542,845 | 41.2% | 58.8% |
Note: Processed Year is the year the report was submitted to the NPDB. 1990 is a partial year, September - December. Totals include reports from the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Armed Forces installations, and the territories.
For nearly every year in the past 10 years, the number of medical malpractice payments reported to the NPDB for all practitioners has decreased (Figure 7). Between 2003 and 2012, the number of medical malpractice reports decreased 34 percent, declining steadily from 18,535 to 12,152.
Note: Includes disclosable reports in the NPDB as of the end of the calendar year 2012.
In contrast to medical malpractice payment reporting, the number of Adverse Action Reports for all practitioners has increased nearly every year in the past 10 years (Figure 8). Between 2003 and 2012, the number of Adverse Action Reports increased 65 percent, from 27,780 to 45,830.
Note: Includes disclosable reports in the NPDB as of the end of calendar year 2012; voided reports have been excluded. Adverse Action Reports include reinstatements, restorations, state licensure, clinical privilege, and professional society membership actions, Medicare and Medicaid exclusions, and DEA actions. Since the implementation of Section 1921 in September 2010, state licensure reports include reports for both practitioners and organizations.
In the past 10 years, the number of medical malpractice payments reported to the NPDB attributed to physicians and dentists has decreased steadily from 17,088 to 10,585, representing a 38 percent decline (Figure 9).
Note: Includes disclosable reports in the NPDB as of the end of calendar year 2012; voided reports have been excluded.
In the past 10 years, the number of Adverse Action Reports attributed to physicians and dentists presented a different trend from that of medical malpractice payments. Between 2003 and 2012, the number of adverse actions reported to the NPDB related to physicians and dentists increased from 6,149 to 7,765, representing a 26 percent increase (Figure 10).
Note: Includes disclosable reports in the NPDB as of the end of calendar year 2012; voided reports have been excluded. Adverse Action Reports include reinstatements, restorations, state licensure, clinical privilege, and professional society membership actions, Medicare and Medicaid exclusions, and DEA actions.
The number of adverse actions reported to NPDB related to nurses in 2012 was nearly double that for 2003 (22,741 and 12,289 respectively). The number of reports increased steadily between 2003 and 2005 and then remained relatively stable through 2009 (Figure 11). Between 2009 and 2011, the number of adverse actions reported to NPDB related to nurses increased 25 percent (from 16,951 to 22,597) reflecting the implementation of Section 1921.
Note: Includes disclosable reports in the NPDB as of the end of calendar year 2012; voided reports have been excluded. Adverse Action Reports include reinstatements, restorations, state licensure, clinical privilege, and professional society membership actions, Medicare and Medicaid exclusions, and DEA actions.
Between 2003 and 2012, the number of adverse actions reported to NPDB related to practitioners other than physicians, dentists, and nurses increased 64 percent (Figure 12). After increasing steadily between 2003 and 2011 (from 9,342 to 16,175), the number of adverse actions reported to NPDB related to practitioners other than physicians, dentists, and nurses declined in 2012 (15,324).
Note: Includes disclosable reports in the NPDB as of the end of calendar year 2012; voided reports have been excluded. Adverse Action Reports include reinstatements, restorations, state licensure, clinical privilege, and professional society membership actions, Medicare and Medicaid exclusions, and DEA actions.
Practitioners on whom reports were filed have the right to dispute the accuracy and the validity of the reports filed on them. Information about the process of disputing reports submitted to the NPDB is available on NPDB's website. The number of disputed Adverse Action Reports and Medical Malpractice Payment Reports is provided in Appendix E.