Final answer:
Healthcare entities must query the NPDB as part of the credentialing process and when making employment decisions regarding healthcare practitioners as required by HFAP.
Initial queries are conducted when first credentialing a practitioner and subsequently every two years during the recredentialing process.
Step-by-step explanation:
When asking about the requirements for querying the NPDB (National Practitioner Data Bank) per HFAP (Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program), it is important to understand that healthcare entities are mandated to inquire with the NPDB as part of the credentialing process and when making employment decisions about healthcare practitioners.
The HFAP standards require that hospitals perform queries to the NPDB initially when a practitioner is first credentialed and then every two years during the recredentialing process. These rules are set to safeguard patient safety by ensuring that providers have not been involved in instances of malpractice or have not had their clinical privileges revoked elsewhere.