45:9-19.8. Medical Practitioner Review Panel; establishment, membership, terms, compensation

The State Board of Medical Examiners shall establish a Medical Practitioner Review Panel.

a. The review panel shall consist of nine members. Eight members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, as follows: four physicians licensed to practice medicine and surgery in this State, at least one of whom is a board certified psychiatrist or a physician experienced in the field of chemical dependency and at least one of whom is employed by a health maintenance organization; three consumers of health care services who are not licensed health care providers or the spouses of licensed health care providers; and one administrator of a hospital who is appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association. One member shall be appointed by the President of the State Board of Medical Examiners and shall be a member of the board and shall serve ex officio.

A review panel member shall serve for a term of three years, except that of the members first appointed, three shall serve for terms of one year, three for terms of two years and two for a term of three years. A review panel member is eligible for reappointment but shall not serve more than two successive terms in addition to any unexpired term to which he has been appointed. Any vacancy in the membership of the review panel shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner provided by the original appointment.

b. The Governor shall appoint the first chairman and vice chairman of the review panel from among the members to serve for a one-year term, but thereafter, the members of the panel shall annually elect a chairman and vice chairman from among the members. The board shall appoint an executive director and the board and the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall provide such investigative, medical consulting and clerical support as is necessary to carry out the duties of the review panel. The State Board of Medical Examiners' member shall not serve as chairman or vice chairman of the panel.

c. Five members of the review panel shall constitute a quorum and the review panel shall not make any recommendation without the affirmative vote of at least five members of the review panel.

d. The members of the review panel shall be compensated on a per diem basis in the amount of $150 and shall be reimbursed for actual expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of their official duties. The executive director of the review panel shall receive such salary as determined by the director of the Division of Consumer Affairs.

e. The Attorney General shall provide legal staff services to the review panel.

L.1989, c.300, s.8.