National Practitioner Data Bank

Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank

1. Is my organization eligible to join the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   An organization is eligible to use the PDS (24/7 notification) if it is eligible to query the Data Banks.

2. I am an Integrated Querying and Reporting (IQRS) user and would like to sign up for the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification). Is there anything I need to do before I begin to enroll practitioners?

   Yes. To sign up for the PDS (24/7 notification), the Entity Data Bank Administrator must login to the IQRS, proceed to the Administrator Options screen, and select Activate Proactive Disclosure Service.

   On the Activate Proactive Disclosure Service screen, the Entity Data Bank Administrator may select the staff member(s) who should receive e-mail notifications of report disclosures, subject renewal notices, and other PDS (24/7 notification) notices.

   Also on the Activate Proactive Disclosure Service screen the Entity Data Bank Administrator can enable an agent(s) to submit PDS (24/7 notification) enrollments for the healthcare organization.

   Once the PDS activation is complete, the Agent's Entity Data Bank Administrator will receive an email notification of the PDS activation.

3. How do I enable my authorized agent to enroll practitioners in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) on my behalf?

   When the Entity Data Bank Administrator activates the PDS (24/7 notification), the agent authorization preferences are automatically pre-populated. The Entity Data Bank Administrator may update these preferences.

   After the Entity Data Bank Administrator certifies the information on the screen, the designated Agent's Entity Data Bank Administrator will receive an e-mail notification of this change.

4. Will the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) save me money and time?

   We believe the PDS (24/7 notification) will save you money and time. The PDS (24/7 notification) continuously and automatically queries on your enrolled practitioners, freeing your staff for other assignments. The PDS (24/7 notification) notifies you via email whenever new information is received about one of your enrolled practitioners, i.e., the PDS (24/7 notification) will notify you of new, corrected, and revised reports as well as voids, subject statements, notification of dispute status, and elevations to Secretarial Review on all reports. PDS (24/7 notification) will also send you a monthly summary e-mail detailing your PDS (24/7 notification) activity for the previous month, as well as upcoming renewals or scheduled cancellations. With the optional Automatic Renewal feature, enrollments are renewed automatically at the end of their enrollment period. PDS (24/7 notification) may also save you time since you do not need to perform a traditional Data Banks query as long as the practitioner is enrolled in the PDS (24/7 notification).

5. I am responsible for credentialing for my healthcare organization and submit queries through the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service Prototype (IQRS). I am interested in using the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) but need to know whether PDS (24/7 notification) responses are any different from my query responses. Can you explain the difference between a traditional query and a PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment?

   The biggest difference between a traditional query and a PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment is that the query only gives you a "snapshot" of a practitioner's status at the time that you submit the query. A PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment provides you with that snapshot when you enroll your practitioner, plus it will notify you any time that the enrolled practitioner's report status changes (e.g., a new report is filed on the practitioner, a previously-filed report on the practitioner is corrected) for twelve consecutive months of enrollment.

   For example, if you submit a traditional query on Dr. X this morning, and no reports were submitted to the Data Banks prior to your query, you will receive a query response that says No Reports Found. If a report on Dr. X is received at the Data Banks after your query response is sent, you would not receive that information until your next query on Dr. X. When you enroll Dr. X in PDS (24/7 notification) , you receive an Enrollment Confirmation that would include the response stating No Reports Found. However, if a report is received at the Data Banks after Dr. X is enrolled, you will receive an e-mail notification within 24 hours of its receipt, alerting you to login and view the report.

   Enrolling in the PDS (24/7 notification) is like querying 24 hours a day, every day of the year. In addition, all enrollment and report information is always available for downloading or printing. The PDS (24/7 notification) is an alternative to the traditional query you have been submitting to the Data Banks. (Also in General Information FAQ.)

6. How am I notified about the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) reports and enrollment renewals?

   The PDS (24/7 notification) uses e-mail to notify subscribers of new reports and practitioner enrollment renewals. PDS (24/7 notification) sends these messages to the individual(s) designated by the Entity Data Bank Administrator. To designate users to receive email notifications of report disclosures, subject renewal notices, monthly PDS (24/7 notification) summaries, and other PDS (24/7 notification) notices, the Entity Data Bank Administrator should complete the following steps:

   1. Log into the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS), located on the Data Banks home page.
   2. In the IQRS, go to the Administrator Options screen and select Maintain User Accounts.
   3. On the Maintain User Account screen, select the user whose notification preference you wish to update and click Edit.
   4. After making your selections in the Notification Preferences section, click Save.
7. Are the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment confirmations acceptable verification sources for the Joint Commission, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and URAC accreditation standards?

   Yes, the enrollment confirmation was designed, in conjunction with the NCQA and Joint Commission, to ensure it is acceptable as a verification source. The enrollment confirmation provides proof of ongoing querying of the Data Banks and may be used in demonstrating compliance with accrediting standards. The ongoing querying capability of the PDS (24/7 notification) assists subscribers in complying with ongoing monitoring standards of accrediting organizations, including the Joint Commission, the NCQA, CARF, and URAC as well as compliance with legal querying requirements of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986.

   In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) views a provider's use of the PDS (24/7 notification) as consistent with its hospital requirements for quality assessment and medical staff privileging.

8. Is there training available for the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   Yes, on-screen instructions and help buttons are available to guide the user through each screen. Detailed fact sheets are also available on a range of topics, providing step-by-step instructions for performing various tasks in the PDS(24/7 notification) . Fact sheets are available under the Publications category on the Data Banks home page.

   In addition, Data Banks Information Specialists are available to answer questions from users about the Data Banks. Call the Customer Service Center at 1-800-767-6732. Information Specialists are available to speak with you weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. on Fridays) Eastern Time. The Customer Service Center is closed on all Federal holidays.

9. If my account has multiple users, will all of my users have access to the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   Yes, once the Entity Data Bank Administrator activates the PDS (24/7 notification) for the healthcare organization, all users will have access to the service automatically. To designate a user to receive email notification of report disclosures, subject renewal notices, monthly PDS (24/7 notification) summaries, and other PDS (24/7 notification) notices, the Entity Data Bank Administrator should complete the following steps:

   1. Log into the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS), located on the Data Banks home page.
   2. In the IQRS, go to the Administrator Options screen and select Maintain User Accounts.
   3. On the Maintain User Account screen, select the user whose notification preference you wish to update and click Edit.
   4. After making your selections in the Notification Preferences section, click Save.
10. Can I use the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) through my third-party software package?

    Yes, you may use a software package developed by a third-party software vendor to enroll your practitioners in the PDS (24/7 notification) as long as the software vendor has developed software to interface with the PDS. Contact your software vendor to determine whether the particular software you are using interfaces with the PDS (24/7 notification).

11. Can I use the Querying and Reporting XML Service (QRXS) to access the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

    Yes, the QRXS interface is ideal for large volume PDS (24/7 notification) subscribers who use their own transaction processing systems and want to interface those systems with the Data Banks. The QRXS is similar to the Interface Control Document (ICD) Transfer Program (ITP) interface, but uses eXtensible Markup Language (XML) as the file format for submissions and responses. XML provides the advantage of verifying the reporting format without having to submit transactions and wait for validation responses from the Data Banks system. Also, the XML technology enables a more flexible interface that is changed more easily than the ITP, if report, querying or PDS (24/7 notification) formats change.

    PDS enrollments submitted through the QRXS are validated instantly with a PDS confirmation. The confirmation contains the batch Data Bank Document Control Number (DCN), the subject information for each subject submitted, and a status for each subject. If a PDS enrollment does not pass validation, a list of errors is provided for the submitter to correct. Unlike the Interface Control Document (ICD) Transfer Program (ITP), the QRXS will not charge submitters for PDS enrollments that are rejected due to data problems. (Also in Querying and Reporting XML Service (QRXS) FAQ.)

12. When I update the name of an enrolled practitioner, why can I no longer see the reports I know the subject has?

    While the Data Banks processes an update on an enrolled practitioner, existing reports are temporarily unavailable. Once the system has completed processing the updates, all related reports will be made available. This process normally takes no more than 2 - 4 hours.

13. I have an enrolled practitioner with a report in the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). In the past, I have received paper notifications of report corrections in the mail. Why am I no longer receiving paper report corrections in the mail?

    As a Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) subscriber, you are sent notice of report corrections electronically rather than on paper. As long as the practitioner is enrolled in the PDS (24/7 notification), report corrections will be delivered via PDS (24/7 notification) as report disclosures. The PDS will send emails to subscribers as long as they have provided a valid email address(es) in their user account information, and their Entity Data Bank Administrator has selected a staff member to receive PDS (24/7 notification) notices. Each user can elect to receive these electronic notifications by updating their user account.

14. How does the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) work if I have an Agent? Will I receive the responses and reminders, or will they go to my Agent?

    The healthcare organization may choose to have the responses and reminders sent to the Agent, the Entity, or both. To view the current routing or to change the routing, your Entity Data Bank Administrator should complete the following steps:

    1. Log into the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS), located on the Data Banks home page.
    2. On the Administrator Options screen, click Maintain Agent Information, and follow instructions to update your entity-agent relationship.

    The Designate Authorized Agent screen enables the Entity Data Bank Administrator to modify the query response routing for an authorized agent assigned to query and/or report to the Data Bank(s) on its behalf. This screen also enables the Entity Data Bank Administrator to add PDS (24/7 notification) query privileges so the authorized agent is able to enroll subjects.

15. What if I enroll a practitioner and then he/she leaves the medical staff within that enrollment year?

    The practitioner's enrollment must be canceled as soon as the practitioner leaves your staff. Once an enrollment is canceled, enrollment confirmations remain available for four years. The remaining portion of the annual enrollment fee for the canceled practitioner is not refundable.

1. Should I first perform a query on a practitioner as part of an initial appointment and then enroll the practitioner in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   No, you do not need to query first. The PDS (24/7 notification) is an alternative to the traditional query you submit to the Data Banks. When you enroll a practitioner in PDS (24/7 notification), you will receive an Enrollment Confirmation and all reports that matched the subject information you submitted, i.e. a query response. However, if the practitioner is not appointed to your staff, you must immediately cancel the PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment to avoid potentially receiving new or updated reports that you are not entitled to receive.

2. If I enroll my practitioners in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification), do I still have to query on them at time of re-appointment or any other time?

   No, once you have enrolled a practitioner in the PDS (24/7 notification), you do not need to query on that practitioner as long as the practitioner remains enrolled in the PDS (24/7 notification). The PDS (24/7 notification) is an alternative to the traditional query you have been submitting to the Data Banks. When you enroll a practitioner in PDS (24/7 notification), you will receive an Enrollment Confirmation and a copy of all reports that matched the subject information you submitted. After that, you will receive an e-mail notification for new and changed reports on the enrolled practitioner within 24 hours of the Data Banks' receipt of new reports. Enrolling in the PDS (24/7 notification) is the same as querying 24 hours a day, every day of the year. In addition, all enrollment and report information is always available for downloading or printing.

3. What types of practitioners can my healthcare organization enroll in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   Once your healthcare organization has activated the PDS (24/7 notification), you may enroll any licensed healthcare practitioner, on whom you could legally submit a query, regardless of their field of licensure.

4. Is there a minimum or a maximum number of practitioners that I can enroll in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   No, a healthcare organization can enroll any number of practitioners in the PDS (24/7 notification), regardless of their field of licensure. However, there is a batch limit of 1,000 practitioners per enrollment transaction, so if you plan to enroll 5,000 practitioners at once, you will need to submit five separate batches of 1,000 names each.

5. Can I use the practitioners I have stored in my Subject Database when enrolling my practitioners in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   Yes, practitioners that are stored in the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS) subject database can easily be enrolled into the PDS (24/7 notification). You have the option of keeping or deleting subject data from the subject database upon successful enrollment in the PDS (24/7 notification). Subject updates can be made through the PDS Options Menu. (Also in Integrated Querying and Reporting Services [IQRS] FAQ.)

6. Can I update my Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollments using the practitioners stored in my Subject Database?

   You can easily update the practitioners enrolled in the PDS (24/7 notification), using the information stored in the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS) Subject Database by selecting Update from Subject Database through the PDS. Practitioner updates can be made through the PDS options menu. (Also in Integrated Querying and Reporting Services [IQRS] FAQ.)

7. What happens to the practitioners that were enrolled in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) from the Subject Database once I cancel the PDS enrollment?

   You have the option of keeping or deleting practitioner data from the Subject Database upon successful enrollment in the PDS (24/7 notification). If practitioners are deleted from the Subject Database during enrollment into the PDS (24/7 notification), they can be restored to the Subject Database when the enrollment is canceled.

8. How can I get a copy of an enrollment confirmation?

   Enrollment confirmations are available on demand from the Manage PDS Subjects screen and the PDS Subject Detail screen. Enrollment confirmations can also be generated when an enrollment is canceled or renewed. Confirmations can optionally include matched reports for non-canceled subjects. Enrollment confirmations are available for canceled subjects up to four years after the end of an enrollment.

9. Why do I get multiple confirmations when I enroll a single batch of practitioners?

   When you enroll a batch of practitioners, the Data Banks attempts to confirm your enrollments as soon as they are processed. Occasionally the information you submit on one or more of your practitioners requires additional time to process. Rather than hold all your enrollment confirmations until every practitioner is matched, the Data Banks may split your confirmations into smaller batches.

10. What will the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment confirmations look like?

    The enrollment confirmation is a single response containing the Data Bank information on one or both Data Banks depending upon your healthcare organization's registration preferences. Each report included within the enrollment confirmation will appear only once and will indicate (with a checked box) if the report is maintained under Title IV (National Practitioner Data Bank [NPDB]), Section 1921 (when approved and available), or Section 1128E (Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank [HIPDB]) statutes.

11. How long are initial enrollment confirmations available?

    Initial enrollment confirmations are available for 60 days in Portable Document Format (PDF). After that, reports found for a subject with an active enrollment can be accessed at any time from the PDS Subject Detail screen.

12. I have a change in practitioner information (e.g., the practitioner has a new license number). How can I update the enrollment data?

    Updates on enrolled practitioners must be made in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) by selecting Manage Subjects. On the Manage PDS Subjects screen, select the name of the practitioner to view the Subject Details screen. Click the Update Subject button, update the information on-screen, and click Submit to Data Banks. Note: If the update is significant (i.e., Name, Social Security Number, licensure information), the Interim Update Confirmation screen will display, noting that the update will be processed within 2 - 4 hours. At that time, your healthcare organization can retrieve the final enrollment update confirmation. Under certain circumstances, additional processing time may be required.

13. I submitted several enrollments that were rejected for problems related to the credit card payment. How can I submit those enrollments again?

    Practitioners that could not be enrolled due to payment rejection are stored for 30 days. To re-submit these practitioners, during the 30-day grace period, go to the Enroll New Subjects screen and select Enroll Stored Subjects.

1. Is the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment fee in addition to the $4.75 query fee?

   No. The PDS enrollment fee is $3.25 per enrolled practitioner, per Data Bank, per year. As long as the practitioner remains enrolled in PDS (24/7 notification) there is no need to submit a traditional query. The PDS (24/7 notification) is an alternative to the traditional method of querying the Data Banks. When you enroll a practitioner in PDS (24/7 notification), you will receive an Enrollment Confirmation that contains all reports currently stored in the Data Banks, plus you will automatically receive any new reports on the enrolled practitioner within 24 hours of the Data Banks' receipt of the reported action.

2. Where can I find receipts for the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) billing reconciliation?

   Log in to the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS) located on the Data Banks home page. On the Options screen, under Maintenance, click View Billing History.

   To view enrollment bills only, select PDS Enrollment from the Transaction Type drop-down list. Select PDS Renewal to view renewal bills. Enrollment receipts are available dating back to May 2007. The billing date range that can be specified is limited to 90 days or less.

3. Beyond the cost of enrollment, are there any additional charges for using the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   No. After you enroll your practitioners into the PDS (24/7 notification), there are no extra charges (for one year) as long as the practitioner remains enrolled in the PDS (24/7 notification). The PDS enrollment fee is $3.25, per enrolled practitioner, per Data Bank, per year. Once you pay the $3.25 enrollment fee, you receive an Enrollment Confirmation letting you know your practitioner is officially enrolled into the PDS (24/7 notification). This initial confirmation contains all reports regarding your enrolled practitioner that are currently stored in the Data Banks. You will also automatically receive any new reports on the enrolled practitioner within 24 hours of the Data Banks' receipt of the reported action. The PDS enrollment will expire one year from the date of enrollment on the last day of that month. You will be notified when your practitioner's enrollment is due to expire. Enrolling in the PDS (24/7 notification) is the same as querying 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, so there is no need to submit traditional queries.

1. Is there a way to automatically renew enrollments for my practitioners in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) before the renewal date has passed?

   Yes, you can automatically renew enrollments for your practitioners by using the Automatic Renewal feature in the PDS (24/7 notification) before the renewal date has passed. The Entity Data Bank Administrator must enable the Automatic Renewal feature by clicking on the Proactive Disclosure Service Renewal Options button located on the Administrator Options screen. On the PDS Renewal Options screen the Entity Data Bank Administrator must select Automatic Renewal. The Entity Data Bank Administrator must then select from the payment methods on file, if no payment methods are available, one must be added before proceeding. Once a payment method has been selected and the certification has been completed the Automatic Renewal feature will be enabled. As a reminder, you must remember to cancel enrollments for PDS (24/7 notification) enrollees that leave your organization.

2. Will I receive a reminder when my Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment renewals are due?

   Yes. PDS subscribers can elect to receive a monthly email summary of their PDS (24/7 notification) activity, including which enrollments are due to renew within the next two months. If the Automatic Renewal feature is enabled, the monthly email summary will include the enrollments scheduled to be renewed automatically in the next two months. User Accounts that are designated to receive PDS (24/7 notification) email will receive the monthly email summary. Check with your Entity Data Bank Administrator to ensure you will receive these and other PDS notifications by email. You will be able to renew the enrollment as early as 60 calendar days before the enrollment period expires and up to 30 calendar days after it expires. The enrollment will be canceled automatically 30 calendar days after expiration.

3. Can I renew my Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment for my practitioners after the enrollment renewal date has passed?

   Yes, you can renew enrollment for your practitioners up to 30 calendar days after the renewal date has passed. Enrollment can also be renewed as early as 60 calendar days before the renewal date.

4. Will expired practitioner enrollments automatically renew once the Automatic Renewal feature is enabled in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   No, the Automatic Renewal feature will not automatically renew expired enrollments. If you wish to continue to receive disclosures for these enrollments, you must manually renew them. As a reminder, you must remember to cancel enrollments for PDS (24/7 notification) enrollees that leave your organization.

5. Will I receive an updated enrollment confirmation when my Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment renewals are completed?

   Yes, you will receive an updated PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment confirmation when your renewals are completed if you request an updated enrollment confirmation. You will be able to request the updated PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment confirmation any time within 60 days of renewal. The enrollment confirmation will contain the updated enrollment period and any current reports on your subjects. Enrollment confirmations are also available on demand from the Manage PDS Subjects screen and PDS Subject Detail screen.

1. One enrolled practitioner left my organization. Should I immediately cancel the enrollment or just not renew?

   You must cancel the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment immediately upon receiving notice that a practitioner is no longer affiliated with your organization. Failure to cancel that enrollment could result in you receiving report disclosure information to which you are not entitled. This violation of the confidentiality provisions of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, as amended, could result in a financial penalty.

2. How do I cancel a Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment?

   Log in to the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS) located in the Data Banks home page, and click Manage Subjects on the Proactive Disclosure Service screen. Follow the on-screen instructions to cancel an enrollment. Complete the Submitter Certification screen, and click Submit to Data Bank(s). Enrollment confirmations for canceled enrollments are available for four years from the date of cancellation.

3. May I cancel a Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) enrollment before the actual cancellation date?

   Yes. PDS (24/7 notification) subscribers may schedule cancellations in advance. Simply specify a cancellation date on the enrollment screen or specify a cancellation date on the Submitter Certification screen if scheduling a cancellation for an already enrolled practitioner. This option is for practitioners whose future departure date is known, such as locum tenens practitioners or retirees. The PDS (24/7 notification) advance cancellation utility allows healthcare organizations to more strictly adhere to the confidentiality provisions of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, as amended. IQRS users may modify or remove the future cancellation date if the employment circumstances change. For more information, see the Fact Sheet on Canceling a Proactive Disclosure Service (PDS) Enrollment.

4. To save time, can I cancel multiple practitioner enrollments all at once?

   Yes. The Data Banks allows batch cancellations of multiple practitioners enrolled in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification). To save time, subscribers may select multiple practitioners for cancellation on the Cancel PDS Enrollments screen. To access this screen, click Cancel Subjects on the PDS Options menu.

   In addition, subscribers may also schedule cancellations at the time of enrollment by specifying a PDS Cancellation Date on the PDS Enrollment screen when submitting the batch enrollment.

5. Will I be reimbursed if I need to cancel an enrollment?

   No, refunds are not available for canceled enrollments.

1. How do I receive the reports on my enrolled practitioners?

   The Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) will notify subscribers via e-mail within 24 hours of the Data Banks' receipt of a report on any enrolled practitioners. Emails will be sent to the individual(s) previously designated by the Entity Data Bank Administrator. The email will tell you to log into the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS), located on the Data Banks home page, to retrieve the report, or download the response from the Interface Control Document Transfer Program (ITP). All users, whether configured to receive email notices or not, will have access to PDS (24/7 notification) report disclosures.

   To ensure your healthcare organization is able to receive Data Bank email, add the npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov and sra.com domains to your Safe Senders List. To find out about a Safe Sender List, please see question #2. For additional assistance, call the Customer Service Center at 1-800-767-6732. Information Specialists are available to speak with you weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. on Fridays) Eastern Time. The Customer Service Center is closed on all Federal holidays.

2. What if my enrollment confirmation is missing an action that should have been reported?

   If you receive an enrollment confirmation and you believe a report is missing on that subject, go to the PDS Subject Details screen for the subject in question click the Reporting Compliance link and provide the information regarding the missing action.

3. What is a Safe Senders List?

   A Safe Senders List is a list of trusted contacts (email addresses and/or domain names) that you deem acceptable to receive their email. Emails from contacts on the list will always be delivered to you and will not be treated as junk email or spam.

   To ensure delivery of email from the Data Banks, please add the npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov and sra.com domains to your Safe Senders List. Below are instructions for adding a "Safe" email or domain name to the Microsoft Outlook 2003 Safe List. If you have any questions, please contact your IT professional, or you may contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-767-6732. Information Specialists are available to speak with you weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. on Fridays) Eastern Time. The Customer Service Center is closed on all Federal holidays.

   You can add either the sender's email address or their domain name to the Safe Senders List in Microsoft Outlook 2003 by following the instructions below.

   1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
   2. On the Preferences tab, under E-mail, click Junk E-mail.
   3. Click the Safe Senders or Safe Recipients tab.
   4. Click Add.
   5. In the Add Address or Domain window enter npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov and then click OK.
   6. Repeat for the sra.com domain name.
   7. In the Junk E-mail Options window, click Apply and then click OK.
   8. In the Options window, click OK.

   Note: For users, who do not use Outlook; check your email application for these same functions.

4. How will I be notified that the Data Banks has received a report on a practitioner I have enrolled?

   Emails will be sent to users that have been selected by the Entity Data Bank Administrator to receive the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) notices. The Entity Data Bank Administrator must provide a valid email address with the user account information. The email will tell you to log into the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS) located on the Data Banks home page to retrieve the report.

5. How long will reports on practitioners be available for me through the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   Reports are available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for the length of the PDS (24/7 notification) enrollment.

6. How long will it take for me to receive notification once a report is submitted on one of my enrolled subjects?

   A notification of a report will be sent, via email, within 24 hours of the Data Banks' receipt of the report. Emails will be sent to users whom the Entity Data Bank Administrator has selected to receive the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification) notices. Subscribers must provide a valid email address with their user account information.

7. Will the Data Banks send me monthly reminders about the status of my enrollments in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS 24/7 notification)?

   Subscribers who have elected to receive PDS (24/7 notification) notifications receive a monthly email detailing upcoming enrollment renewals; the email also contains information related to new practitioner enrollments, cancellations, unviewed output, and report disclosures.

• Common NPDB-HIPDB Definitions
• Fact Sheet on An Overview of the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS)
• Fact Sheet on Activating the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS) and Enrolling Subjects
• Fact Sheet on Updating a Subject in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS)
• Fact Sheet on Accessing a Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS) Report Disclosure
• Fact Sheet on Renewing a Subject Enrollment in the Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS)
• Fact Sheet on Canceling a Proactive Disclosure Service Prototype (PDS) Enrollment