PRINTER'S NO. 1991
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1333
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY DINNIMAN, BARTOLOTTA, VULAKOVICH AND SCHWANK,
JUNE 28, 2016
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
JUNE 28, 2016
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 20, 1974 (P.L.564, No.193), entitled
"An act providing for the increased use of peer review groups
by giving protection to individuals and data who report to
any review group," further providing for definitions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2 of the act of July 20, 1974 (P.L.564,
No.193), known as the Peer Review Protection Act, amended
December 4, 1996 (P.L.896, No.142), is amended to read:
Section 2. Definitions.--As used in this act:
"Peer review" means the procedure for evaluation by
professional health care providers of the quality and efficiency
of services ordered or performed by other professional health
care providers, including practice analysis, inpatient hospital
and extended care facility utilization review, medical audit,
ambulatory care review, claims review, and the compliance of a
hospital, nursing home or convalescent home or other health care
facility operated by a professional health care provider with
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the standards set by an association of health care providers and
with applicable laws, rules and regulations. Peer review, as it
applies to veterinarians, shall mean the procedure for
evaluation by licensed doctors of veterinary medicine of the
quality and efficiency of veterinary medicine ordered or
performed by other doctors of veterinary medicine with the
standards set by an association of doctors of veterinary
medicine and with applicable laws, rules and regulations. The
term, as it applies to emergency medical services, shall mean
the procedure for evaluation by professional health care
providers of the quality and efficiency of services ordered or
performed by emergency medical services providers and physicians
who direct or supervise emergency medical services providers
under 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 81 (relating to emergency medical services
system) and the regulations of the Department of Health.
"Professional health care provider" means:
(1) individuals or organizations who are approved, licensed
or otherwise regulated to practice or operate in the health care
field under the laws of the Commonwealth, including, but not
limited to, the following individuals or organizations:
(i) a physician;
(ii) a dentist;
(iii) a podiatrist;
(iv) a chiropractor;
(v) an optometrist;
(vi) a psychologist;
(vii) a pharmacist;
(viii) a registered or practical nurse;
(ix) a physical therapist;
(x) an administrator of a hospital, nursing or convalescent
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home or other health care facility; [or]
(xi) a corporation or other organization operating a
hospital, nursing or convalescent home or other health care
facility; or
(xii) the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, a
regional emergency medical services council, as defined under 35
Pa.C.S. § 8103 (relating to definitions) or the advisory council
for a regional emergency medical services council, as identified
under 35 Pa.C.S. § 8109(b)(1) (relating to regional emergency
medical services councils); or
(2) individuals licensed to practice veterinary medicine
under the laws of this Commonwealth.
"Professional society" includes medical, veterinary,
psychological, nursing, dental, optometric, pharmaceutical,
chiropractic and podiatric organizations having as members at
least a majority of the eligible licentiates in the area or
health care facility or agency served by the particular society.
"Review organization" means any committee engaging in peer
review, including a hospital utilization review committee, a
hospital tissue committee, a health insurance review committee,
a hospital plan corporation review committee, a professional
health service plan review committee, a dental review committee,
a physicians' advisory committee, a veterinary review committee,
a nursing advisory committee, any committee established pursuant
to the medical assistance program, and any committee established
by one or more State or local professional societies, to gather
and review information relating to the care and treatment of
patients for the purposes of (i) evaluating and improving the
quality of health care rendered; (ii) reducing morbidity or
mortality; or (iii) establishing and enforcing guidelines
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designed to keep within reasonable bounds the cost of health
care. It shall also mean any hospital board, committee or
individual reviewing the professional qualifications or
activities of its medical staff or applicants for admission
thereto. It shall also mean a committee of an association of
professional health care providers reviewing the operation of
hospitals, nursing homes, convalescent homes or other health
care facilities. The term also means a review organization as
that term is defined under 35 Pa.C.S. § 8103.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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