Senate Bill No. 2135 Summary

• Creates chapter 43-17.3 of the North Dakota Century Code establishing a physician health program for detection, intervention, and monitoring of impaired physicians and health professionals.

• Authorizes the State Board of Medical Examiners to contract with the physician health program to receive reports, conduct evaluations, provide treatment referrals, and monitor licensees with potentially impairing conditions including substance abuse or mental illness.

• Allows licensees to voluntarily self-report or self-refer to the program without automatic board notification, provided they comply with evaluations and treatment plans; noncompliance triggers mandatory board reporting.

• Requires the program to report immediately to the board any licensee posing imminent danger to the public and to timely report licensees who refuse evaluation, refuse treatment, violate treatment plans, or remain impaired despite treatment.

• Protects physician health program records and participants from disclosure except as necessary for treatment purposes, and provides liability immunity for good-faith reports and actions by the board, program staff, and committee members.