National Practitioner Data Bank

Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank

August 2010

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• QRXS and ITP Users Take Note!

  On August 30, 2010, the NPDB-HIPDB implemented several improvements to the QRXS and ITP File Format Specifications. In particular, please note the following changes:

  • QRXS correction reports now indicate the specific fields that were corrected.
  • Social Security Numbers in responses are now masked to display the last four digits only. Agent DBIDs are masked to display the last two digits only.
  
  

• Introducing the QRXS Web Service

  The QRXS web service, offered as an alternative to our QRXS Client Program, is appropriate for users who are already familiar with web services, or would prefer to write their own web services client using a non-Java solution.

  The QRXS Web Service User Guide, in addition to detailed information about the QRXS, is available on our Using the QRXS page.

• New Option for QRXS and ITP PDS Notifications

  By default, QRXS and ITP PDS users receive notification of any new report or report change filed on their enrolled subjects. Now, QRXS and ITP PDS users can opt to receive, not only the new report, but also any previously disclosed reports for that subject. To activate this feature, sign in to the IQRS, select Proactive Disclosure Service Options, choose All Reports on the PDS Options screen, and click Submit.

June 2010

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• New Customer Use Field For IQRS Reports and Queries

  IQRS queriers and reporters will be able to take advantage of the new Customer Use field that may be used to include internal tracking or case numbers within their submissions. For reporters, this field is private and is not disclosed in query results.

• Enhanced Historical Report and Query Search Capability

  The Data Banks enhanced the IQRS historical report search capability to allow searching by partial first or last name, Data Bank Control Number (DCN), and information the reporter has provided in the Customer Use Field.

  The Customer Use Field may also be used to search historical queries.

• Public Use Data File Updated

  The NPDB Public Use Data File has been updated to include disclosable statistical report information received from September 1, 1990 through March 31, 2010. The file does not contain any information that identifies individual practitioners or reporting entitites and is designed for statistical analysis only.

April 2010

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• Corrected Fields on a Correction Report Are Now Identified

  You asked, and we listened. Thanks to suggestions from our users, our Correction Reports now indicate, with an asterisk, the exact fields that were corrected. An example is provided in our Sample AAR Licensure Report.

  In addition, the Subject's Name is now provided on each page of PDS, Query, and Report Responses in the upper right-hand corner.

• IQRS Report Responses are Streamlined

  In order to reduce paper waste, the cover page for report responses has been removed from the printable response, and instead, included on the new Disclosure Notice screen. From the Report Status screen, choose a Report DCN. Note: you may now filter and sort from this screen. You will then go to the Disclosure Notice screen. To view your report response, click Continue.

• Stay Organized

  Update your IQRS User Account to receive a monthly e-mail summarizing your entity's PDS, querying, and reporting activity. The e-mail notification includes, for PDS users, information on upcoming enrollment renewals, new subject enrollments, cancellations, unviewed output, and report disclosures. For queriers and reporters, the e-mail includes information on queries and reports submitted, report change notifications received, and counts of unviewed responses.

  All users will receive, when applicable, notification of an entity registration that will expire soon and notification of stored credit cards that are expiring soon or have already expired.

  See our sample e-mail notification.

• PDS Report Disclosures Are Now Easier to Track

  The PDS Report Disclosure page in the IQRS has been enhanced. With the addition of the Viewed Date column, PDS users are now able to see when a PDS Report Disclosure was viewed, and also sort by the date. In addition, from this same page, PDS users may now easily print a list of all disclosure histories.

March 2010

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• Section 1921 Opens for Reporting and Querying

  The Data Banks opened Section 1921 for reporting and querying on March 1, 2010. Section 1921 expands the information collected and disseminated through the National Practitioner Data Banks to include all licensure actions taken against all healthcare practitioners, not just physicians and dentists, as well as healthcare entities.

• QRXS and ITP Users Take Note!

  On August 30, 2010, the NPDB-HIPDB will implement several improvements to the QRXS and ITP submission and response file formats. To better prepare you for the upcoming changes, updated QRXS and ITP File Format Specifications are now available.

• Public Use Data File Updated

  The NPDB Public Use Data File has been updated to include disclosable statistical report information received from September 1, 1990 through December 31, 2009. The file does not contain any information that identifies individual practitioners or reporting entitites and is designed for statistical analysis only.

February 2010

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• Data Banks Announce Final Rule for Section 1921

  The final rule for Section 1921 of the Social Security Act was published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2010 and opens for reporting and querying on March 1, 2010. Section 1921 expands the information collected and disseminated through the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and protects beneficiaries participating in the Social Security Act’s healthcare programs from unfit healthcare practitioners and entities and improves the anti-fraud provisions of these programs.

  Previously, only actions based on competence or conduct taken against physicians and dentists were included in the NPDB. Implementation of Section 1921 adds adverse actions taken against other licensed healthcare practitioners and healthcare entities to the NPDB.

  Section 1921 requires significant updates to the ITP and QRXS file format specifications. If you would like to stay current on the QRXS and ITP, sign up for the Mailing List.

January 2010

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• Expanded Payment Options

  Entity Data Bank Administrators may now assign multiple credit cards to each user account. See our Fact Sheet on Maintaining IQRS Credit Cards for more information.

• Registration Process is Streamlined

  The Data Banks registration process is now quicker and easier. Organizations registering with the Data Banks can now view their registration status on-line, fix validation issues without the need to re-enter their registration data, and receive e-mails when their registration has been processed. For additional information about registering your organization, see the Fact Sheet on On-Line Entity Registration or Fact Sheet on On-Line Agent Registration.

• Broadened QRXS Test Environment

  The QRXS test environment has been enhanced so that QRXS users can control the types of files downloaded, choosing from a wide range of sample responses that cover every type of submission. See the QRXS Client Program User Guide for more details.