(a) Health care is a valuable commodity, and the health care consumer needs to make informed decisions when making health care choices. Due to the current trends in health care, patients have a close relationship with their health care provider and must depend on the provider for most of their health care needs. Health care consumers need to know as much as possible before committing their health care to such provider. Likewise current trends make decisions about which managed care organizations to choose equally important to health care consumers. Because of the foregoing reasons and because of the increasing concerns over the quality of health care, the general assembly finds that a system should be established to provide public access to information about certain health care providers and managed care organizations in this state.

(b) For the purposes of this chapter, “provider” or “health care provider” means a physician, regulated pursuant to chapter 6 of this title; osteopathic physician, regulated pursuant to chapter 9 of this title; chiropractor, regulated pursuant to chapter 4 of this title; dentist, regulated pursuant to chapter 5 of this title; podiatrist, regulated pursuant to chapter 3 of this title; optometrist, regulated pursuant to chapter 8 of this title; dietitian or nutritionist, regulated pursuant to chapter 25 of this title; physician assistant, regulated pursuant to chapter 19 of this title; respiratory care practitioner, regulated pursuant to chapter 27 of this title; pharmacist, regulated pursuant to chapter 10 of this title; audiologist and speech pathology therapist, regulated pursuant to chapter 17 of this title; certified nurse practitioner, as such nurses are regulated pursuant to § 63-7-123; registered nurse anesthetist, regulated pursuant to chapter 7 of this title; social worker regulated pursuant to chapter 23 of this title; psychologist, regulated pursuant to chapter 11 of this title; professional counselor, marital and family therapist, and clinical pastoral therapist regulated pursuant to chapter 22 of this title; massage therapist, regulated pursuant to chapter 18 of this title; medical laboratory personnel, regulated pursuant to title 68, chapter 29; alcohol and drug abuse counselors, regulated pursuant to title 68, chapter 24; occupational therapist and physical therapist regulated pursuant to chapter 13 of this title; dispensing optician, regulated pursuant to chapter 14 of this title; electrologist, regulated pursuant to chapter 26 of this title; veterinarian, regulated by chapter 12 of this title; and nursing home administrator, regulated pursuant to chapter 16 of this title.