Washington § 18.130.070 - Rules requiring reports — Court orders — Immunity from liability — Licensees required to report.

(1)(a) The secretary shall adopt rules requiring every license holder to report to the appropriate disciplining authority any conviction, determination, or finding that another license holder has committed an act which constitutes unprofessional conduct, or to report information to the disciplining authority, physician health program, or voluntary substance use disorder monitoring program approved by the disciplining authority, which indicates that the other license holder may not be able to practice his or her profession with reasonable skill and safety to consumers as a result of a mental or physical condition.

(b) The secretary may adopt rules to require other persons, including corporations, organizations, health care facilities, physician health programs, or voluntary substance use disorder monitoring programs approved by the disciplining authority, and state or local government agencies, to report:

(i) Any conviction, determination, or finding that a license holder has committed an act which constitutes unprofessional conduct; or

(ii) Information to the disciplining authority, physician health program, or voluntary substance use disorder monitoring program approved by the disciplining authority, which indicates that the license holder may not be able to practice his or her profession with reasonable skill and safety to consumers as a result of a mental or physical condition.

(c) If a report has been made by a hospital to the department pursuant to RCW 70.41.210 or by an ambulatory surgical facility pursuant to RCW 70.230.110, a report to the disciplining authority is not required. To facilitate meeting the intent of this section, the cooperation of agencies of the federal government is requested by reporting any conviction, determination, or finding that a federal employee or contractor regulated by the disciplining authorities enumerated in this chapter has committed an act which constituted unprofessional conduct and reporting any information which indicates that a federal employee or contractor regulated by the disciplining authorities enumerated in this chapter may not be able to practice his or her profession with reasonable skill and safety as a result of a mental or physical condition.

(d) Reporting under this section is not required by:

(i) Any entity with a peer review committee, quality improvement committee or other similarly designated professional review committee, or by a license holder who is a member of such committee, during the investigative phase of the respective committee's operations if the investigation is completed in a timely manner;

(ii) A physician health program or voluntary substance use disorder monitoring program approved by a disciplining authority under RCW 18.130.175 if the license holder is currently enrolled in the program, so long as the license holder actively participates in the program and the license holder's impairment does not constitute a clear and present danger to the public health, safety, or welfare; or

(iii) A physician well-being program, so long as the license holder is competent to practice with reasonable skill and safety. If the license holder is not competent to practice with reasonable skill and safety, or if a patient has been harmed, the license holder shall be reported by the physician well-being program medical director or other licensee to the disciplining authority according to requirements established and adopted in rule by the Washington medical commission or, if permitted by rule, referred to a physicians health program or voluntary substance use disorder monitoring program approved under RCW 18.130.175. Any report made to the disciplining authority under this section is not privileged or confidential and is subject to the public records act.

(2) If a person fails to furnish a required report, the disciplining authority may petition the superior court of the county in which the person resides or is found, and the court shall issue to the person an order to furnish the required report. A failure to obey the order is a contempt of court as provided in chapter 7.21 RCW.

(3) A person is immune from civil liability, whether direct or derivative, for providing information to the disciplining authority pursuant to the rules adopted under subsection (1) of this section.

(4)(a) The holder of a license subject to the jurisdiction of this chapter shall report to the disciplining authority:

(i) Any conviction, determination, or finding that he or she has committed unprofessional conduct or is unable to practice with reasonable skill or safety; and

(ii) Any disqualification from participation in the federal medicare program, under Title XVIII of the federal social security act or the federal medicaid program, under Title XIX of the federal social security act.

(b) Failure to report within thirty days of notice of the conviction, determination, finding, or disqualification constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.

Effective date—Implementation—2007 c 273: See RCW 70.230.900 and 70.230.901.

Finding—Intent—Severability—1998 c 132: See notes following RCW 18.71.0195.

Severability—1986 c 259: See note following RCW 18.130.010.