FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.322
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEBLACK.
0412H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection537.035,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtopeer
reviewcommittees.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section537.035,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection537.035,toreadasfollows:
537.035.1.Asusedinthissection,unlessthecontextclearlyindicatesotherwise,the
2followingwordsandtermsshallhavethemeaningsindicated:
3 (1)"Healthcareprofessional",aphysicianorsurgeonlicensedundertheprovisions
4ofchapter334,oradentistlicensedundertheprovisionsofchapter332,orapodiatrist
5licensedundertheprovisionsofchapter330,oranoptometristlicensedundertheprovisions
6ofchapter336,orapharmacistlicensedundertheprovisionsofchapter338,orachiropractor
7licensedundertheprovisionsofchapter331,orapsychologistlicensedundertheprovisions
8ofchapter337,oranurselicensedundertheprovisionsofchapter335,oraphysician
9assistantlicensedundertheprovisionsofchapter334,orasocialworkerlicensedunder
10theprovisionsofchapter337,oraprofessionalcounselorlicensedundertheprovisionsof
11chapter337,oramentalhealthprofessionalasdefinedinsection632.005,whileactingwithin
12theirscopeofpractice;
13 (2)"Peerreviewcommittee",acommitteeofhealthcareprofessionalswiththe
14responsibilitytoevaluate,maintain,ormonitorthequalityandutilizationofhealthcare
15servicesortoexerciseanycombinationofsuchresponsibilities.
16 2.Apeerreviewcommitteemaybeconstitutedasfollows:
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 (1)Comprisedof,andappointedby,astate,countyorlocalsocietyofhealthcare
18professionals;
19 (2)Comprisedof,andappointedby,thepartners,shareholders,oremployedhealth
20careprofessionalsofapartnershiporprofessionalcorporationofhealthcareprofessionals,or
21employedhealthcareprofessionalsofauniversityoranentityaffiliatedwithauniversity
22operatingunderchapter172,174,352,or355;
23 (3)Appointedbytheboardoftrustees,chiefexecutiveofficer,ortheorganized
24medicalstaffofalicensedhospital,orotherhealthfacilityoperatingunderconstitutionalor
25statutoryauthority,includinglong-termcarefacilitieslicensedunderchapter198,oran
26administrativeentityofthedepartmentofmentalhealthrecognizedpursuanttotheprovisions
27ofsubdivision(3)ofsubsection1ofsection630.407;
28 (4)Anyotherorganizationformedpursuanttostateorfederallawauthorizedto
29exercisetheresponsibilitiesofapeerreviewcommitteeandactingwithinthescopeofsuch
30authorization;
31 (5)Appointedbytheboardofdirectors,chiefexecutiveofficerorthemedical
32directorofthelicensedhealthmaintenanceorganization.
33 3.Eachmemberofapeerreviewcommitteeandeachperson,hospitalgoverning
34board,healthmaintenanceorganizationboardofdirectors,andchiefexecutiveofficerofa
35licensedhospitalorotherhospitaloperatingunderconstitutionalorstatutoryauthority,chief
36executiveofficerormedicaldirectorofalicensedhealthmaintenanceorganizationwho
37testifiesbefore,orprovidesinformationto,actsupontherecommendationof,orotherwise
38participatesintheoperationof,suchacommitteeshallbeimmunefromcivilliabilityforsuch
39actssolongastheactsareperformedingoodfaith,withoutmaliceandarereasonablyrelated
40tothescopeofinquiryofthepeerreviewcommittee.
41 4.Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinthissection,theinterviews,memoranda,
42proceedings,findings,deliberations,reports,andminutesofpeerreviewcommittees,orthe
43existenceofthesame,concerningthehealthcareprovidedanypatientareprivilegedandshall
44notbesubjecttodiscovery,subpoena,orothermeansoflegalcompulsionfortheirreleaseto
45anypersonorentityorbeadmissibleintoevidenceinanyjudicialoradministrativeactionfor
46failuretoprovideappropriatecare.Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinthissection,noperson
47whowasinattendanceatanypeerreviewcommitteeproceedingshallbepermittedor
48requiredtodiscloseanyinformationacquiredinconnectionwithorinthecourseofsuch
49proceeding,ortodiscloseanyopinion,recommendation,orevaluationofthecommitteeor
50board,oranymemberthereof;provided,however,thatinformationotherwisediscoverableor
51admissiblefromoriginalsourcesisnottobeconstruedasimmunefromdiscoveryorusein
52anyproceedingmerelybecauseitwaspresentedduringproceedingsbeforeapeerreview
53committeenorisamember,employee,oragentofsuchcommittee,orotherpersonappearing
HB322 2 54beforeit,tobepreventedfromtestifyingastomatterswithinhispersonalknowledgeandin
55accordancewiththeotherprovisionsofthissection,butsuchwitnesscannotbequestioned
56abouttestimonyorotherproceedingsbeforeanyhealthcarereviewcommitteeorboardor
57aboutopinionsformedasaresultofsuchcommitteehearings.Thedisclosureofany
58interview,memoranda,proceedings,findings,deliberations,reports,orminutestoanyperson
59orentity,includingbutnotlimitedtogovernmentalagencies,professionalaccrediting
60agencies,orotherhealthcareproviders,whetherproperorimproper,shallnotwaiveorhave
61anyeffectuponitsconfidentiality,nondiscoverability,ornonadmissibility.
62 5.Theprovisionsofsubsection4ofthissectionlimitingdiscoveryandadmissibility
63oftestimonyaswellastheproceedings,findings,records,andminutesofpeerreview
64committeesdonotapplyinanyjudicialoradministrativeactionbroughtbyapeerreview
65committeeorthelegalentitywhichformedorwithinwhichsuchcommitteeoperatestodeny,
66restrict,orrevokethehospitalstaffprivilegesorlicensetopracticeofaphysicianorother
67healthcareproviders;orwhenamember,employee,oragentofthepeerreviewcommitteeor
68thelegalentitywhichformedsuchcommitteeorwithinwhichsuchcommitteeoperatesis
69suedforactionstakenbysuchcommitteewhichoperatetodeny,restrictorrevokethe
70hospitalstaffprivilegesorlicensetopracticeofaphysicianorotherhealthcareprovider.
71 6.Nothinginthissectionshalllimitauthorityotherwiseprovidedbylawofahealth
72carelicensingboardofthestateofMissouritoobtaininformationbysubpoenaorother
73authorizedprocessfrompeerreviewcommitteesortorequiredisclosureofotherwise
74confidentialinformationrelatingtomattersandinvestigationswithinthejurisdictionofsuch
75healthcarelicensingboards.
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