40 Pa. Stat. § 1303.311

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 1303.311 - Confidentiality and compliance
(a) Prepared materials.--Any documents, materials or information solely prepared or created for the purpose of compliance with section 310(b) or of reporting under section 304(a)(5) or (b) , 306(a)(2) or (3), 307(b)(3), 308(a), 309(4), 310(b)(5) or 313 which arise out of matters reviewed by the patient safety committee pursuant tosection 310(b) or the governing board of a medical facility pursuant to section 310(b) are confidential and shall not be discoverable or admissible as evidence in any civil or administrative action or proceeding. Any documents, materials, records or information that would otherwise be available from original sources shall not be construed as immune from discovery or use in any civil or administrative action or proceeding merely because they were presented to the patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility.
(b) Meetings.--No person who performs responsibilities for or participates in meetings of the patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility pursuant to section 310(b) shall be allowed to testify as to any matters within the knowledge gained by the person's responsibilities or participation on the patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility, provided, however, the person shall be allowed to testify as to any matters within the person's knowledge which was gained outside of the persons's responsibilities or participation on the patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility pursuant to section 310(b).
(c) Applicability.--The confidentiality protections set forth in subsections (a) and (b) shall only apply to the documents, materials or information prepared or created pursuant to the responsibilities of the patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility set forth in section 310(b).
(d) Received materials.--Except as set forth in subsection (f), any documents, materials or information received by the authority or department from the medical facility, health care worker, patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility solely prepared or created for the purpose of compliance with section 310(b) or of reporting under section 304(a)(5) or (b), 306(a)(2) or (3), 307(b)(3), 308(a), 309(4), 310(b)(5) or 313 shall not be discoverable or admissible as evidence in any civil or administrative action or proceeding. Any records received by the authority or department from the medical facility, health care worker, patient safety committee or governing board of a medical facility pursuant to the requirements of this act shall not be discoverable from the department or the authority in any civil or administrative action or proceeding. Documents, materials, records or information may be used by the authority or department to comply with the reporting requirements under subsection (f) and section 304(a)(7) or (c) or 306(b).
(e) Document review.--
(1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), no current or former employee of the authority, the department or the Department of State shall be allowed to testify as to any matters gained by reason of his or her review of documents, materials, records or information submitted to the authority by the medical facility or health care worker pursuant to the requirements of this act.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to findings or actions by the department or the Department of State which are public records.
(f) Access.--
(1) The department shall have access to the information under section 313(a) or (c) and may use such information for the sole purpose of any licensure, approval or corrective action against a medical facility. This exemption to use the information received pursuant to section 313(a) or (c) shall only apply to licensure or corrective actions and shall not be utilized to permit the disclosure of any information obtained under section 313(a) or (c) for any other purpose.
(2) The Department of State shall have access to the information under section 313(a) and may use such information for the sole purpose of any licensure or disciplinary action against a health care worker. This exemption to use the information received pursuant to section 313(a) shall only apply to licensure or disciplinary actions and shall not be utilized to permit the disclosure of any information obtained under section 313(a) for any other purpose.
(g) Original source document.--In the event an original source document as set forth in subsection (a) is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable from the health care worker or medical facility in a civil action or proceeding, then in that circumstance alone the department may be required pursuant to a court order to release that original source document to the party identified in the court order.
(h) Right-to-know requests.-- Any documents, materials or information made confidential by subsection (a) shall not be subject to requests under the act of June 21, 1957 (P.L. 390, No. 212), referred to as the Right-to-Know Law.
(i) Liability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person providing information or services to the patient safety committee, governing board of a medical facility, authority or department shall be held by reason of having provided such information or services to have violated any criminal law, or to be civilly liable under any law, unless such information is false and the person providing such information knew or had reason to believe that such information was false and was motivated by malice toward any person directly affected by such action.

40 P.S. § 1303.311

2002, March 20, P.L. 154, No. 13, § 311, effective in 60 days. Amended 2006, May 1, P.L. 103, No. 30, § 2, effective in 60 days [6/30/2006].