Prepublication review

Prior to publication of any reports required by statute, the committee shall allow data suppliers and providers an opportunity to review the data to be published and comment. Data reports and analyses which are to be made available to the general public and which identify specific providers or which are solely derived from the records of a specific data supplier are subject to the following prepublication review procedures: 1. Prior to the publication of any reports required by statute, data, information, analyses, or reports relating to individual providers must be submitted to or available to the provider for verification of the accuracy of the information contained in the report. In the event that the provider finds a discrepancy between the data available to the provider and the information contained in the draft report, the provider may submit information substantiating or refuting the draft report. Hospital data and nursing home data will be submitted to each hospital or nursing home identified. Health professional data will be available onsite at the department, and onsite at the licensing or certifying authority of the health professional or available at locations determined by the committee. 2. If the committee has not received the provider's response in writing within thirty days of the mailing date of the draft report, the committee shall assume that the data contained in the report has been verified and shall proceed with publication. 3. If the provider responds within thirty days of the mailing date of the draft report that the information is incorrect and provides documentation that an error has occurred, the committee may accept the documentation and revise the draft report correspondingly or it may reject the documentation as inadequate and proceed with publication. The committee shall notify the provider of its decision. 4. The provider may appeal the decision of the committee pursuant to North Dakota Century Code chapter 28-32. 5. Providers may have their data-specific comments published as an appendix to final reports.