Tex.
Health & Safety Code Section 161.032
Records and Proceedings Confidential
(a)
The records and proceedings of a medical committee are confidential and are not subject to court subpoena.(b)
Notwithstanding Section 551.002 (Open Meetings Requirement), Government Code, the following proceedings may be held in a closed meeting following the procedures prescribed by Subchapter E (Requirement to First Convene in Open Meeting), Chapter 551 (Open Meetings), Government Code:(1)
a proceeding of a medical peer review committee, as defined by Section 151.002 (Definitions), Occupations Code, or medical committee; or(2)
a meeting of the governing body of a public hospital, hospital district, hospital authority, or health maintenance organization of a public hospital, hospital authority, hospital district, or state-owned teaching hospital at which the governing body receives records, information, or reports provided by a medical committee, medical peer review committee, or compliance officer.(c)
Records, information, or reports of a medical committee, medical peer review committee, or compliance officer and records, information, or reports provided by a medical committee, medical peer review committee, or compliance officer to the governing body of a public hospital, hospital district, or hospital authority are not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552 (Public Information), Government Code.(d)
The records and proceedings may be used by the committee and the committee members only in the exercise of proper committee functions.(e)
The records, information, and reports received or maintained by a compliance officer retain the protection provided by this section only if the records, information, or reports are received, created, or maintained in the exercise of a proper function of the compliance officer as provided by the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.(f)
This section and Subchapter A (Application of Federal Law), Chapter 160 (Report and Confidentiality Requirements), Occupations Code, do not apply to records made or maintained in the regular course of business by a hospital, health maintenance organization, medical organization, university medical center or health science center, hospital district, hospital authority, or extended care facility.(g)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the records of a medical committee of a university medical school or a health science center, including a joint committee, may be disclosed to the extent required under federal law as a condition on the receipt of federal money.
Source:
Section 161.032 — Records and Proceedings Confidential, https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.161.htm#161.032 (accessed Jun. 5, 2024).
