37-2-201. Nonliability -- evidential privilege -- application to nonprofit corporations. - Montana Statutes

     37-2-201. Nonliability -- evidential privilege -- application to nonprofit corporations. (1) A member of a utilization review or medical ethics review committee of a hospital or long-term care facility or of a professional utilization committee, peer review committee, medical ethics review committee, or professional standards review committee of a society composed of persons licensed to practice a health care profession is not liable in damages to any person for any action taken or recommendation made within the scope of the functions of the committee if the committee member acts without malice and in the reasonable belief that the action or recommendation is warranted by the facts known to the member after reasonable effort to obtain the facts of the matter for which the action is taken or a recommendation is made.
     (2) The proceedings and records of professional utilization, peer review, medical ethics review, and professional standards review committees are not subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any proceeding. However, information otherwise discoverable or admissible from an original source is not to be construed as immune from discovery or use in any proceeding merely because it was presented during proceedings before the committee, nor is a member of the committee or other person appearing before it to be prevented from testifying as to matters within the individual's knowledge, but the individual may not be questioned about the individual's testimony or other proceedings before the committee or about opinions or other actions of the committee or any member of the committee.
     (3) This section also applies to any member, agent, or employee of a nonprofit corporation engaged in performing the functions of a peer review, medical ethics review, or professional standards review committee.

     History: En. 66-1052 by Sec. 1, Ch. 226, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 267, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 66-1052; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 22, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 380, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1353, Ch. 56, L. 2009.