title: "Black marks on your soul"--the National Practitioner Data Bank.
abstract: In 1986, Congress mandated establishment of a National Practitioner Data Bank. The goal was to improve the quality of medical care by creating an environment to weed out impaired or incompetent physicians. The authors discuss the effects of the Bank since it became operational on September 1, 1990.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Cullan
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cullan
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010815:Physician Impairment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States