Montana § 37-2-404 - Medical Practice Group Quality Assurance -- Confidentiality -- Exception -- Liability Of Members

§ 37-2-404. Medical Practice Group Quality Assurance -- Confidentiality -- Exception -- Liability Of Members

Medical practice group quality assurance -- confidentiality -- exception -- liability of members. (1) Except as provided in subsection (6), the proceedings of a quality assurance committee of a medical practice group, the data it produces, and the material it considers: (a) must be confidential; (b) may not be considered to be a public record; and (c) may not be subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil action against a health care facility or an individual employed by or under contract with a health care facility or a medical practice group that results from matters that are the subject of evaluation and review by the quality assurance committee. (2) A person who was in attendance at a meeting of the quality assurance committee may not be required to testify in any civil action about: (a) the information and materials produced or presented during the proceedings of the quality assurance committee; or (b) the findings, recommendations, evaluations, opinions, or other actions of the quality assurance committee or its members. (3) Information otherwise available is not immune from discovery or use in a civil action merely because the information was presented during proceedings of the quality assurance committee. Nothing in this section may prevent a medical practitioner from using otherwise available information in connection with an administrative hearing or civil suit relating to the medical staff membership, clinical privileges, or employment of the medical practitioner. (4) A member of the quality assurance committee or a person who provides information orally or in writing to a quality assurance committee may be subpoenaed and required to testify in a civil action regarding events about which the person has knowledge independent of the quality assurance program. The member or person may not be asked: (a) for impeachment or other purposes, about the information the person provided to the quality assurance committee; or (b) about any opinions formed as a result of the quality assurance committee proceeding. (5) All data relating to quality assurance committee activities compiled under this part must be maintained in a confidential location separate from patient medical records. (6) The governing body of a medical practice group may waive privileges under this section and release information or present data of the quality assurance program by discovery, subpoena, or admission into evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding. Without waiving privileges under this section, the governing body of a medical practice group may voluntarily release information or present data to a health care facility quality assurance committee established under 50-16-202 . The information or records must be subject to the privileges and immunities provided for in 50-16-202 . (7) A duly appointed member of a quality assurance committee who acts without malice or fraud may not be subject to liability for damages in any civil action because of any act, statement, or proceeding undertaken, made, or performed within the scope of the functions of the quality assurance committee.