§1278. Application for or acceptance of license or permit; waiver of personal privileges

A. Any person applying for or accepting a license or permit to practice medicine or midwifery in this state shall, by applying for or accepting said license or permit, be deemed to have given his consent to submit to physical or mental examinations when so directed by the board and to waive all objections as to admissibility or disclosure of findings, reports, or recommendations pertaining thereto on the grounds of privileged communications or other personal privileges provided for by law.

B. Any person applying for, accepting, or holding a license or permit to practice medicine in this state shall be deemed, notwithstanding any privilege of confidentiality, to have given his authorization and consent to the disclosure to the board, by any physician or other health care provider and by any health care institution, of any and all medical records and information pertaining to such person's diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and prognosis for any physical or mental condition, disease, illness, deficiency, or infirmity, when the board is acting upon a written complaint and it has reasonable cause to believe that his fitness and ability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety may be impaired by mental illness or deficiency, or physical illness, including but not limited to deterioration through the aging process or the loss of motor skills, and/or excessive use or abuse of drugs, including alcohol; however, any records or information obtained by the board pursuant to this Section shall not constitute public records and shall be maintained in confidence by the board until and unless such records or information are admitted into the record of proceedings before the board pursuant to R.S. 37:1285.

Acts 1975, No. 350, §1; Acts 1985, No. 302, §2; Acts 1987, No. 884, §1; Acts 2001, No. 17, §1, eff. May 17, 2001.