459.016 Reports of disciplinary actions by medical organizations. - Florida Statutes

459.016 Reports of disciplinary actions by medical organizations.

   (1) The department shall be notified when any osteopathic physician:

   (a) Has been removed or suspended or has had any other disciplinary action taken by her or his peers within any professional medical association, society, body, or professional standards review organization established pursuant to Pub. L. No. 92-603, s. 249F, or similarly constituted professional organization, whether or not such association, society, body, or organization is local, regional, state, national, or international in scope; or

   (b) Has been disciplined, which shall include allowing an osteopathic physician to resign, by a licensed hospital or medical staff of said hospital for any act that constitutes a violation of this chapter. If a physician resigns or withdraws from privileges when such facility notifies the physician that it is conducting an investigation or inquiry regarding an act which is potentially a violation of this chapter, the facility shall complete its investigation or inquiry and shall notify the department of the physician’s resignation or withdrawal from privileges if the completed investigation or inquiry results in a finding that such act constitutes a violation of this chapter for which the facility would have disciplined the physician or allowed her or him to resign or withdraw from privileges.

Within 20 days of receipt of such notification, upon board approval, the department shall notify all hospitals and health maintenance organizations in the state of any disciplinary action which is severe enough for expulsion or resignation reported pursuant to this subsection, identifying the disciplined physician, the action taken, and the reason for such action.

   (2) Any organization taking action as set forth in this section shall report such action to the department within 30 days of its initial occurrence, regardless of the pendency of appeals therefrom. The notification shall identify the disciplined physician, the action taken, and the reason for such action. The department shall investigate the occurrence upon which the report was based and determine if action by the department against the osteopathic physician is warranted. Any organization failing to report such action pursuant to this section shall be subject to a fine assessed by the department in an amount not exceeding $1,000 for the first offense and not exceeding $5,000 for any offense thereafter.

   (3) Any organization taking action as set forth in this section shall, upon department subpoena, provide copies of the records concerning the action to the department. However, those records shall be used solely for the purpose of the department and the board in disciplinary proceedings. The records shall otherwise be confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1). These records shall not be subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any administrative or civil action.

   (4) There shall be no monetary liability on the part of, and no cause of action for damages shall arise against, the department or any association, society, body, organization, hospital, hospital medical staff, or hospital disciplinary body or its agents, investigators, witnesses, or employees or any other person for any action taken without intentional fraud in carrying out the provisions of this section. However, this exemption applies only to actions taken in providing notice pursuant to this section.

History. ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-230; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 18, 27, 29, ch. 86-290; s. 15, ch. 89-374; s. 13, ch. 91-140; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 314, ch. 96-406; s. 1098, ch. 97-103; s. 53, ch. 98-166.