Sec. 99. (a) "Peer review committee", for purposes of IC 34-30-15, means a committee that:

(1) has the responsibility of evaluation of:

(A) qualifications of professional health care providers;

(B) patient care rendered by professional health care providers; or

(C) the merits of a complaint against a professional health care provider that includes a determination or recommendation concerning the complaint, and the complaint is based on the competence or professional conduct of an individual health care provider, whose competence or conduct affects or could affect adversely the health or welfare of a patient or patients; and

(2) meets the following criteria:

(A) The committee is organized:

(i) by a state, regional, or local organization of professional health care providers or by a nonprofit foundation created by the professional organization for purposes of improvement of patient care;

(ii) by the professional staff of a hospital, another health care facility, a nonprofit health care organization (under section 117(23) of this chapter), a professional health care organization, or a medical school located in Indiana;

(iii) by state or federal law or regulation;

(iv) by a governing board of a hospital, a nonprofit health care organization (under section 117(23) of this chapter), or professional health care organization;

(v) as a governing board or committee of the board of a hospital, a nonprofit health care organization (under section 117(23) of this chapter), or professional health care organization;

(vi) by an organization, a plan, or a program described in section 117(16) through 117(17) of this chapter;

(vii) as a hospital or a nonprofit health care organization (under section 117(23) of this chapter) medical staff or a section of that staff;

(viii) as a governing board or committee of the board of a professional health care provider (as defined in section 117(16) through 117(17) of this chapter); or

(ix) by a perinatal center described in IC 16-21-13.

(B) At least fifty percent (50%) of the committee members are:

(i) individual professional health care providers, the governing board of a hospital, the governing board of a nonprofit health care organization (under section 117(23) of this chapter), or professional health care organization, or the governing board or a committee of the board of a professional health care provider (as defined in section 117(16) through 117(17) of this chapter); or

(ii) individual professional health care providers and the committee is organized as an interdisciplinary committee to conduct evaluation of patient care services.

(b) However, "peer review committee" does not include a medical review panel created under IC 34-18-10 (or IC 27-12-10 before its repeal).

[Pre-1998 Recodification Citation: 34-4-12.6-1(c).]

As added by P.L.1-1998, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.204-2015, SEC.1; P.L.16-2018, SEC.3.