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The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)

The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) is a federally-maintained clearinghouse that maintains data on health care provider conduct. NPDB information can be helpful in following national trends.

  • Obstetrics-related cases accounted for 8.1 percent of all physician-malpractice payment reports to NPDB.
  • The median award reported for a childbirth-related claim was $2.5 million between 1997 and 2003, the highest of any specialty.
  • NPDB reported an increase in 2003 and 2004 in the number of payments on behalf of nurses (RN, CNM, CRNA, CNS, NP). This group of nurses is responsible for only a small fraction (1-2 percent) of all payouts reported to the NPDB.

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Obstetric Safety Initiative

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