Questions abound as start-up nears for physician data bank

The start-up of the National Practitioner Data Bank is only weeks away, but hospitals and physicians still are raising questions about the system's pros and cons. While most laud the data bank's original mission--to prevent practitioners from concealing a history of incompetence--many physicians claim the scope of the system has grown too big and fear abuse of the information.     

Leadership plus re-education equals quality

Santa Teresita Hospital stood in serious violation of 13 accreditation standards in 1987. To regain quality control, the California facility first changed leadership and information systems and then launched a push to re-educate physicians about the beefed-up quality assurance plan. It worked.     

New tricks of the trade show

The business of trade shows isn't what it used to be. Vendors are more selective about participating, hospitals don't have money to send as many representatives, and competing state, regional and national associations spread the market thin. Some shows are disappearing; others are surviving by targeting specific audiences, catering to vendors and hatching non-aggression pacts with would-be competitors.