Arizona Laws 36-2403. Confidentiality; protection from discovery proceedings and subpoena; exceptions
A. Quality assurance information shall be confidential and is not subject to subpoena or order to produce except in proceedings before the appropriate state licensing or certifying agency, or in actions by a licensed health care provider against a health care entity arising from the discipline of the licensed health care provider or the refusal, termination, suspension or limitation of privileges. A health care entity or a person who provides or receives information or who participates in, takes any action in or makes any decision or recommendation for or in the course of quality assurance activities may not be subpoenaed to testify in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding relating to the subject matter of the quality assurance activities.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 36-2403
- Action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Health care entity: means any of the following:
(a) A licensed health care provider. See Arizona Laws 36-2401
- Licensed health care provider: means a person or institution that is licensed or certified by this state to provide health care, medical services, nursing services or other health-related services. See Arizona Laws 36-2401
- negligently: import a want of such attention to the nature or probable consequence of the act or omission as a prudent man ordinarily bestows in acting in his own concerns. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Process: means a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Quality assurance activities: means activities or proceedings of a health care entity:
(a) That are established for the purposes of reducing morbidity and mortality and for improving the quality of health care or encouraging proper utilization of health care services and facilities through the review of the qualifications, professional practices, training, experience, patient care, conduct, processes or data of licensed health care providers. See Arizona Laws 36-2401
- Quality assurance information: means information in oral, written or digital form that is submitted to, prepared for or by or considered by a health care entity for or in the course of quality assurance activities, including the record of the health care entity's actions and proceedings. See Arizona Laws 36-2401
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
- Testify: includes every manner of oral statement under oath or affirmation. See Arizona Laws 1-215
B. This article shall not be construed to affect any patient’s claim to privilege or privacy or to prevent the subpoena of a patient’s health care records if they are otherwise subject to discovery. In any legal action brought pursuant to section 36-2402 in which it is alleged that quality assurance activities were inadequate or were negligently conducted, representatives of a health care entity are permitted to testify only as to whether there were quality assurance activities relating to the subject matter being litigated and the date or dates of the quality assurance activities.
C. Sharing of information about quality assurance activities in accordance with section 36-2402 does not waive or otherwise impair the confidentiality of the information shared. Governing bodies and administrative and other personnel of a health care entity may participate in quality assurance activities without waiving confidentiality. All individuals or entities sharing or receiving quality assurance information shall maintain the information confidentially in accordance with this section.
D. A state agency or the affected licensed health care provider receiving or reviewing quality assurance information pursuant to section 36-2402 shall maintain the information confidentially, and such entities and individuals are subject to the same provisions concerning discovery and use in legal actions as are health care entities.
E. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, information that is otherwise discoverable does not become confidential based solely on its submission to or consideration by a health care entity conducting confidential quality assurance activities. A health care entity conducting quality assurance activities may not produce such information if discovery of such information might reveal the deliberative process engaged in during such quality assurance activities.
F. This section does not apply to information considered confidential under section 36-2917.