PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 220 PRINTER'S NO. 4051
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, FLICK AND KASUNIC,
FEBRUARY 1, 1989
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 25, 1990
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. VETERINARIANS; AND REDEFINING "PROFESSIONAL HEALTH <--
8 CARE PROVIDERS" TO INCLUDE VETERINARIANS.
9 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10 hereby enacts as follows:
11 Section 1. Section 2 of the act of July 20, 1974 (P.L.564,
12 No.193), known as the Peer Review Protection Act, amended
13 October 5, 1978 (P.L.1121, No.262), is amended to read:
14 Section 2. Definitions.--As used in this act:
15 "Peer review" means the procedure for evaluation by
16 professional health care providers of the quality and efficiency
17 of services ordered or performed by other professional health
1 care providers, including practice analysis, inpatient hospital
2 and extended care facility utilization review, medical audit,
3 ambulatory care review, claims review, and the compliance of a
4 hospital, nursing home or convalescent home or other health care
5 facility operated by a professional health care provider with
6 the standards set by an association of health care providers and
7 with applicable laws, rules and regulations. PEER REVIEW, AS IT <--
8 APPLIES TO VETERINARIANS, SHALL MEAN THE PROCEDURE FOR
9 EVALUATION BY LICENSED DOCTORS OF VETERINARY MEDICINE OF THE
10 QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE ORDERED OR
11 PERFORMED BY OTHER DOCTORS OF VETERINARY MEDICINE WITH THE
12 STANDARDS SET BY AN ASSOCIATION OF DOCTORS OF VETERINARY
13 MEDICINE AND WITH APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.
14 "Professional health care provider" means individuals or <--
15 "PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER" MEANS: <--
16 (1) INDIVIDUALS OR organizations who are approved, licensed
17 or otherwise regulated to practice or operate in the health care
18 field under the laws of the Commonwealth, including, but not
19 limited to, the following individuals or organizations:
20 [(1) A physician. <--
21 (2) A dentist.
22 (3) A podiatrist.
23 (4) A chiropractor.
24 (5) An optometrist.
25 (6) A psychologist.
26 (7) A pharmacist.
27 (8) A registered or practical nurse.
28 (9) A physical therapist.
29 (10) An administrator of a hospital, a nursing or
30 convalescent home, or other health care facility.
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1 (11) A corporation or other organization operating a
2 hospital, a nursing or convalescent home or other health care
3 facility.] <--
4 (12) A veterinarian. <--
5 (I) A PHYSICIAN; <--
6 (II) A DENTIST;
7 (III) A PODIATRIST;
8 (IV) A CHIROPRACTOR;
9 (V) AN OPTOMETRIST;
10 (VI) A PSYCHOLOGIST;
11 (VII) A PHARMACIST;
12 (VIII) A REGISTERED OR PRACTICAL NURSE;
13 (IX) A PHYSICAL THERAPIST;
14 (X) AN ADMINISTRATOR OF A HOSPITAL, A NURSING OR
15 CONVALESCENT HOME OR OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITY;
16 (XI) A CORPORATION OR OTHER ORGANIZATION OPERATING A
17 HOSPITAL, A NURSING OR CONVALESCENT HOME OR OTHER HEALTH CARE
18 FACILITY; OR
19 (2) INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE
20 UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH.
21 "Professional society" includes medical, veterinary,
22 psychological, nursing, dental, optometric, pharmaceutical,
23 chiropractic and podiatric organizations having as members at
24 least a majority of the eligible licentiates in the area or
25 health care facility or agency served by the particular society.
26 "Review organization" means any committee engaging in peer
27 review, including a hospital utilization review committee, a
28 hospital tissue committee, a health insurance review committee,
29 a hospital plan corporation review committee, a professional
30 health service plan review committee, a dental review committee,
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1 a physicians' advisory committee, a veterinary review committee,
2 a nursing advisory committee, any committee established pursuant
3 to the medical assistance program, and any committee established
4 by one or more State or local professional societies, to gather
5 and review information relating to the care and treatment of
6 patients for the purposes of (i) evaluating and improving the
7 quality of health care rendered; (ii) reducing morbidity or
8 mortality; or (iii) establishing and enforcing guidelines
9 designed to keep within reasonable bounds the cost of health
10 care. It shall also mean any hospital board, committee or
11 individual reviewing the professional qualifications or
12 activities of its medical staff or applicants for admission
13 thereto. It shall also mean a committee of an association of
14 professional health care providers reviewing the operation of
15 hospitals, nursing homes, convalescent homes or other health
16 care facilities.
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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