HB0546 Summary

• Amends the Hospital Licensing Act to require hospitals to request licensure and disciplinary information from the Director of Professional Regulation before granting or renewing medical staff privileges, with exceptions for organ transplant personnel and those granted disaster privileges.

• Establishes that hospitals and employees acting in good faith to grant disaster privileges are not liable for civil damages except in cases of willful and wanton misconduct; same protection applies to individuals providing emergency care without compensation.

• Requires hospitals to transmit information about applicants' licenses, disciplinary actions, alcohol/substance abuse monitoring, and denied or surrendered privileges at other facilities to only hospital leadership (president, COO, chief administrative officer, or chief of medical staff).

• Mandates that all non-county hospitals include medical staff bylaws with procedures for evaluating applicants, conducting peer reviews, providing adverse decision notices, and granting fair hearings with 15-day commencement requirement; allows summary suspension without prior hearing only when immediate danger exists and requires Medical Executive Committee review.

• Requires hospitals to report all adverse medical staff decisions based substantially on economic factors to the Hospital Licensing Board and report such information to the Governor and General Assembly; establishes July 1, 2001 deadline for bylaw amendments.