(a) Upon reasonable suspicion that a person’s ability to practice such person’s profession with reasonable skill and safety to patients is impaired by reason of physical or mental illness, or condition or use of alcohol, drugs or controlled substances, the board shall have authority to compel the person to submit to a mental or physical examination, substance abuse evaluation or drug screen or any combination thereof, by such persons as the board may designate either in the course of an investigation or a disciplinary proceeding.

(b) To determine whether reasonable suspicion of impaired ability exists, the investigative information shall be presented to the board as a whole, or to a committee consisting of the officers of the board elected pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-2818, and amendments thereto, and the executive director appointed pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-2878, and amendments thereto, or to a presiding officer authorized pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 77-514, and amendments thereto. The determination shall be made by a majority vote of the entity which reviewed the investigative information. Information submitted to the board as a whole or a committee of the officers and executive director of the board or presiding officer and all reports, findings and other records shall be confidential and not subject to discovery by or release to any person or entity.

(c) The person shall submit to the board a release of information authorizing the board to obtain a report of such examination or drug screen, or both. Any person affected by this section shall be offered, at reasonable intervals, an opportunity to demonstrate that such person can resume the competent practice of such person’s profession with reasonable skill and safety to patients. For the purposes of this section, every person who accepts the privilege to practice any profession regulated by the board in this state by practicing or by the making and filing of a renewal application in this state shall be deemed to have consented to submit to a mental or physical examination, substance abuse evaluation or a drug screen, or any combination thereof, when directed in writing by the board. Further, such person shall be deemed to have waived all objections to the admissibility of the testimony, drug screen or examination report of the person conducting such examination or drug screen, or both, at any proceeding or hearing before the board on the ground that such testimony or examination or drug screen report constitutes a privileged communication.

(d) In any proceeding by the board pursuant to the provisions of this section, the records of any board proceedings involving the mental and physical examination, substance abuse evaluation or drug screen, or any combination thereof, shall be considered confidential and shall not be used in any civil, criminal or administrative action, other than an administrative or disciplinary proceeding by the board.

(e) Whenever the board directs, that a licensee, registrant, permit holder or certificate holder submit to a mental or physical examination, substance abuse evaluation or drug screen, or any combination thereof, the time from the date of the board’s directive until the submission to the board of the report of the examination or drug screen, or both, shall not be included in the computation of the time limit for hearing prescribed by the Kansas administrative procedure act.