In enacting, the National Practitioner Data Bank-enabling legislation, the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, Congress intended for physicians to receive "full due process rights with notice and representation".
(Statement of HCQIA lead sponsor Ron Wyden) Access to the information is limited, and is not available to the general public.
It is provided to hospitals, other health care entities, professional societies, state and federal licensing and certification authorities (including Medical and Dental Boards), and agencies or contractors administering Federal or State health care programs.
In addition, individual healthcare providers can obtain access to their own records; this information is also in some cases available to those who may be suing them.
[1] This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Department of Health and Human Services