Ch. 696                                    1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 696
(House Bill 775)

AN ACT concerning

Health Occupations - Medical Review Committees

FOR the purpose of altering the discoverability and admissibility of the proceedings,
records, and files of a medical review committee; providing for the immediate
appealability of certain discovery orders concerning the proceedings, records, and
files of a medical review committee and the staying of those orders pending appeal;
altering the definition of a certain term; and generally relating to medical review
committees.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Health Occupations
Section 14-501
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1994 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Health Occupations

14-501.

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)     (i) "Alternative health care system" means a system of health care
delivery other than a hospital or related institution.

(ii) "Alternative health care system" includes:

1.       A health maintenance organization;

2.       A preferred provider organization;

3.       An independent practice association; [or]

4.       A community health center that is a nonprofit, freestanding
ambulatory health care provider governed by a voluntary board of directors and that
provides primary health care services to the medically indigent[.]; OR

5.       ANY OTHER HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT
UTILIZES A MEDICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.

(3)     "Medical review committee" means a committee or board that:

(i) Is within one of the categories described in subsection (b) of this
section; and

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