8.01-581.16 - Civil immunity for members of or consultants to certain boards or committees. - Virginia Statutes

§ 8.01-581.16. Civil immunity for members of or consultants to certain boardsor committees.

Every member of, or health care professional consultant to, any committee,board, group, commission or other entity shall be immune from civil liabilityfor any act, decision, omission, or utterance done or made in performance ofhis duties while serving as a member of or consultant to such committee,board, group, commission or other entity, which functions primarily toreview, evaluate, or make recommendations on (i) the duration of patientstays in health care facilities, (ii) the professional services furnishedwith respect to the medical, dental, psychological, podiatric, chiropractic,veterinary or optometric necessity for such services, (iii) the purpose ofpromoting the most efficient use or monitoring the quality of care ofavailable health care facilities and services, or of emergency medicalservices agencies and services, (iv) the adequacy or quality of professionalservices, (v) the competency and qualifications for professional staffprivileges, (vi) the reasonableness or appropriateness of charges made by oron behalf of health care facilities or (vii) patient safety, includingentering into contracts with patient safety organizations; provided that suchcommittee, board, group, commission or other entity has been establishedpursuant to federal or state law or regulation, or pursuant to JointCommission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requirements, orestablished and duly constituted by one or more public or licensed privatehospitals, community services boards, or behavioral health authorities, orwith a governmental agency and provided further that such act, decision,omission, or utterance is not done or made in bad faith or with maliciousintent.

(Code 1950, § 8-654.9; 1976, c. 611; 1977, c. 617; 1981, c. 174; 1987, c.713; 1989, c. 729; 1993, c. 702; 2001, c. 381; 2002, c. 675; 2006, c. 412.)