PRINTER'S NO. 220
No. 194 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY MORRIS, RUDY, MAINE, BRANDT, BILLOW, BOWLEY,
COLAIZZO, COY, HALUSKA, LaGROTTA, LLOYD, MELIO, SCRIMENTI,
TRICH, HERSHEY, ALLEN, BARLEY, BUSH, CHADWICK, D. F. CLARK,
JOHNSON, LEH, SEMMEL, FEE, J. L. WRIGHT, D. R. WRIGHT, WASS,
TRELLO, ANGSTADT, SERAFINI, VROON, DALEY, BORTNER, McCALL,
PRESTON, RYBAK, PETRARCA, MAIALE, VEON, E. Z. TAYLOR,
SAURMAN, PISTELLA, EVANS, STAIRS, BELARDI AND FLICK,
FEBRUARY 1, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 1, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 20, 1974 (P.L.564, No.193), entitled
2 "An act providing for the increased use of peer review groups
3 by giving protection to individuals and data who report to
4 any review group," extending the protection given by the act
5 to review committees of associations of health care facility
6 operators; and providing for professional health care
7 providers.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 2 of the act of July 20, 1974 (P.L.564,
11 No.193), known as the Peer Review Protection Act, amended
12 October 5, 1978 (P.L.1121, No.262), is amended to read:
13 Section 2. Definitions.--As used in this act:
14 "Peer review" means the procedure for evaluation by
15 professional health care providers of the quality and efficiency
16 of services ordered or performed by other professional health
17 care providers, including practice analysis, inpatient hospital
1 and extended care facility utilization review, medical audit,
2 ambulatory care review, claims review, and the compliance of a
3 hospital, nursing home or convalescent home or other health care
4 facility operated by a professional health care provider with
5 the standards set by an association of health care providers and
6 with applicable laws, rules and regulations.
7 "Professional health care provider" means individuals or
8 organizations who are approved, licensed or otherwise regulated
9 to practice or operate in the health care field under the laws
10 of the Commonwealth, including, but not limited to, the
11 following individuals or organizations:
12 (1) A physician.
13 (2) A dentist.
14 (3) A podiatrist.
15 (4) A chiropractor.
16 (5) An optometrist.
17 (6) A psychologist.
18 (7) A pharmacist.
19 (8) A registered or practical nurse.
20 (9) A physical therapist.
21 (10) An administrator of a hospital, a nursing or
22 convalescent home, or other health care facility.
23 (11) A corporation or other organization operating a
24 hospital, a nursing or convalescent home or other health care
25 facility.
26 (12) A veterinarian.
27 "Professional society" includes medical, veterinary,
28 psychological, nursing, dental, optometric, pharmaceutical,
29 chiropractic and podiatric organizations having as members at
30 least a majority of the eligible licentiates in the area or
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1 health care facility or agency served by the particular society.
2 "Review organization" means any committee engaging in peer
3 review, including a hospital utilization review committee, a
4 hospital tissue committee, a health insurance review committee,
5 a hospital plan corporation review committee, a professional
6 health service plan review committee, a dental review committee,
7 a physicians' advisory committee, a veterinary review committee,
8 a nursing advisory committee, any committee established pursuant
9 to the medical assistance program, and any committee established
10 by one or more State or local professional societies, to gather
11 and review information relating to the care and treatment of
12 patients for the purposes of (i) evaluating and improving the
13 quality of health care rendered; (ii) reducing morbidity or
14 mortality; or (iii) establishing and enforcing guidelines
15 designed to keep within reasonable bounds the cost of health
16 care. It shall also mean any hospital board, committee or
17 individual reviewing the professional qualifications or
18 activities of its medical staff or applicants for admission
19 thereto. It shall also mean a committee of an association of
20 professional health care providers reviewing the operation of
21 hospitals, nursing homes, convalescent homes or other health
22 care facilities.
23 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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