§2510-A. Confidentiality of professional competence review records

Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, all professional competence review records are privileged and confidential and are not subject to discovery, subpoena or other means of legal compulsion for their release to any person or entity and are not admissible as evidence in any civil, judicial or administrative proceeding. Information contained in professional competence review records is not admissible at trial or deposition in the form of testimony by an individual who participated in the written professional competence review process. Nothing in this section may be read to abrogate the obligations to report and provide information under section 2506, nor the application of Title 32, sections 2599 and 3296.   [PL 1997, c. 697, §7 (NEW).]

1.  Protection; waiver.  This chapter's protection may be invoked by a professional competence committee or by the subject of professional competence review activity in any civil, judicial or administrative proceeding. This section's protection may be waived only by a written waiver executed by an authorized representative of the professional competence committee.

[PL 1997, c. 697, §7 (NEW).]

2.  Adverse professional competence review action.  Subsection 1 does not apply in a proceeding in which a physician contests an adverse professional competence review action against that physician, but the discovery, use and introduction of professional competence review records in such a proceeding does not constitute a waiver of subsection 1 in any other or subsequent proceedings seeking damages for alleged professional negligence against the physician who is the subject of such professional competence review records.

[PL 1997, c. 697, §7 (NEW).]

3.  Defense of professional competence committee.  Subsection 1 does not apply in a proceeding in which a professional competence committee uses professional competence review records in its own defense, but the discovery, use and introduction of professional competence review records in such a proceeding does not constitute a waiver of subsection 1 in the same or other proceeding seeking damages for alleged professional negligence against the physician who is the subject of such professional competence review records.

[PL 1997, c. 697, §7 (NEW).]

4.  Waiver regarding individual.  Waiver of subsection 1 in a proceeding regarding one physician does not constitute a waiver of subsection 1 as to other physicians.

[PL 1997, c. 697, §7 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1997, c. 697, §7 (NEW).