Sec. 161.032. RECORDS AND PROCEEDINGS CONFIDENTIAL  


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  • (a) The records and proceedings of a medical committee are confidential and are not subject to court subpoena.

    (b) Notwithstanding Section 551.002, Government Code, the following proceedings may be held in a closed meeting following the procedures prescribed by Subchapter E, Chapter 551, Government Code:

    (1) a proceeding of a medical peer review committee, as defined by Section 151.002, Occupations Code, or medical committee; or

    (2) a meeting of the governing body of a public hospital, hospital district, hospital authority, or health maintenance organization of a public hospital, hospital authority, hospital district, or state-owned teaching hospital at which the governing body receives records, information, or reports provided by a medical committee, medical peer review committee, or compliance officer.

    (c) Records, information, or reports of a medical committee, medical peer review committee, or compliance officer and records, information, or reports provided by a medical committee, medical peer review committee, or compliance officer to the governing body of a public hospital, hospital district, or hospital authority are not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.

    (d) The records and proceedings may be used by the committee and the committee members only in the exercise of proper committee functions.

    (e) The records, information, and reports received or maintained by a compliance officer retain the protection provided by this section only if the records, information, or reports are received, created, or maintained in the exercise of a proper function of the compliance officer as provided by the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

    (f) This section and Subchapter A, Chapter 160, Occupations Code, do not apply to records made or maintained in the regular course of business by a hospital, health maintenance organization, medical organization, university medical center or health science center, hospital district, hospital authority, or extended care facility.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 625, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 908, Sec. 4, eff. June 18, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1511, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.