State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB1287

 
                                              SRS92SB0031SFap

 1        AN ACT in relation to medical practice.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.  The Medical Practice Act of 1987 is  amended
 5    by changing Section 23 and adding Section 23.1 as follows:

 6        (225 ILCS 60/23) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-23)
 7        Sec.  23.    Reports relating to professional conduct and
 8    capacity.
 9        (A)  Entities required to report.
10             (1)  Health   care    institutions.     The    chief
11        administrator  or  executive  officer  of any health care
12        institution licensed by the Illinois Department of Public
13        Health shall report to the Disciplinary  Board  when  any
14        person's clinical privileges are terminated or restricted
15        based  on  a final determination, in accordance with that
16        institution's by-laws or rules and  regulations,  that  a
17        person  has  either  committed  an  act or acts which may
18        directly  threaten  patient   care,   and   not   of   an
19        administrative  nature,  or that a person may be mentally
20        or physically disabled in such a manner  as  to  endanger
21        patients  under  that  person's  care.  Such officer also
22        shall report if a person accepts voluntary termination or
23        restriction of clinical  privileges  in  lieu  of  formal
24        action  based  upon  conduct  related directly to patient
25        care and not of an administrative nature, or in  lieu  of
26        formal  action  seeking to determine whether a person may
27        be mentally or physically disabled in such a manner as to
28        endanger patients under that person's care.  The  Medical
29        Disciplinary  Board  shall,  by  rule,  provide  for  the
30        reporting  to  the  Board  of  all  instances  in which a
31        person, licensed under  this  Act,  who  is  impaired  by
 
                            -2-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1        reason  of age, drug or alcohol abuse, physical or mental
 2        impairment, is under supervision and, where  appropriate,
 3        is in a program of rehabilitation.  Such reports shall be
 4        strictly  confidential and may be reviewed and considered
 5        only by the members of  the  Disciplinary  Board,  or  by
 6        authorized staff as provided by rules of the Disciplinary
 7        Board.   Provisions shall be made for the periodic report
 8        of the status of any such  person  not  less  than  twice
 9        annually  in order that the Disciplinary Board shall have
10        current information upon which to determine the status of
11        any such person.  Such initial  and periodic  reports  of
12        impaired  physicians  shall  not  be  considered  records
13        within  the meaning of The State Records Act and shall be
14        disposed   of,   following   a   determination   by   the
15        Disciplinary  Board  that  such  reports  are  no  longer
16        required,  in  a  manner  and  at  such   time   as   the
17        Disciplinary  Board  shall determine by rule.  The filing
18        of such reports shall be construed as  the  filing  of  a
19        report for purposes of subsection (C) of this Section.
20             (2)  Professional  associations.   The  President or
21        chief executive officer of any association or society, of
22        persons licensed under this Act,  operating  within  this
23        State  shall  report  to  the Disciplinary Board when the
24        association or society renders a final determination that
25        a person has  committed  unprofessional  conduct  related
26        directly to patient care or that a person may be mentally
27        or  physically  disabled  in such a manner as to endanger
28        patients under that person's care.
29             (3)  Professional   liability    insurers.     Every
30        insurance  company  which offers policies of professional
31        liability insurance to persons licensed under  this  Act,
32        or   any  other  entity  which  seeks  to  indemnify  the
33        professional liability of a person  licensed  under  this
34        Act,   shall   report   to  the  Disciplinary  Board  the
 
                            -3-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1        settlement of any claim or  cause  of  action,  or  final
 2        judgment  rendered  in any cause of action, which alleged
 3        negligence in the furnishing  of  medical  care  by  such
 4        licensed person when such settlement or final judgment is
 5        in favor of the plaintiff.
 6             (4)  State's  Attorneys.   The  State's  Attorney of
 7        each county shall report to the  Disciplinary  Board  all
 8        instances  in  which  a person licensed under this Act is
 9        convicted or otherwise found guilty of the commission  of
10        any  felony.   The  State's  Attorney  of each county may
11        report to  the  Disciplinary  Board  through  a  verified
12        complaint  any  instance  in  which  the State's Attorney
13        believes that a  physician  has  willfully  violated  the
14        notice  requirements  of  the Parental Notice of Abortion
15        Act of 1995.
16             (5)  State   agencies.    All   agencies,    boards,
17        commissions,  departments,  or other instrumentalities of
18        the government of the State of Illinois shall  report  to
19        the Disciplinary Board any instance arising in connection
20        with   the  operations  of  such  agency,  including  the
21        administration of any law by  such  agency,  in  which  a
22        person  licensed  under  this Act has either committed an
23        act or acts which may be a violation of this Act or which
24        may constitute unprofessional conduct related directly to
25        patient care or which indicates that  a  person  licensed
26        under  this Act may be mentally or physically disabled in
27        such a manner as to endanger patients under that person's
28        care.
29        (B)  Mandatory reporting.  All reports required by  items
30    (34),  (35),  and (36) of subsection (A) of Section 22 and by
31    Section 23 shall be submitted to the Disciplinary Board in  a
32    timely fashion.  The reports shall be filed in writing within
33    60 days after a determination that a report is required under
34    this   Act.    All   reports   shall  contain  the  following
 
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 1    information:
 2             (1)  The name, address, and telephone number of  the
 3        person making the report.
 4             (2)  The  name, address, and telephone number of the
 5        person who is the subject of the report.
 6             (3)  The name or other means  of  identification  of
 7        any  patient  or patients whose treatment is a subject of
 8        the report, provided, however, no medical records may  be
 9        revealed  without  the  written consent of the patient or
10        patients.
11             (4)  A brief description of  the  facts  which  gave
12        rise  to  the issuance of the report, including the dates
13        of any occurrences deemed to necessitate  the  filing  of
14        the report.
15             (5)  If  court  action  is involved, the identity of
16        the court in which the action is filed,  along  with  the
17        docket number and date of filing of the action.
18             (6)  Any  further  pertinent  information  which the
19        reporting party deems to be an aid in the  evaluation  of
20        the report.
21        The Department shall have the right to inform patients of
22    the  right  to  provide written consent for the Department to
23    obtain  copies  of  hospital   and   medical   records.   The
24    Disciplinary Board or Department may exercise the power under
25    Section  38  of  this  Act  to subpoena copies of hospital or
26    medical records in mandatory report cases alleging  death  or
27    permanent bodily injury when consent to obtain records is not
28    provided  by  a patient or legal representative.  Appropriate
29    rules shall be adopted by the Department with the approval of
30    the Disciplinary Board.
31        When  the  Department  has   received   written   reports
32    concerning  incidents  required to be reported in items (34),
33    (35),  and  (36)  of  subsection  (A)  of  Section  22,   the
34    licensee's  failure  to report the incident to the Department
 
                            -5-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1    under  those  items  shall  not  be  the  sole  grounds   for
 2    disciplinary action.
 3        Nothing  contained  in  this  Section shall act to in any
 4    way, waive or modify the confidentiality of  medical  reports
 5    and  committee reports to the extent provided by law.  Except
 6    for information required for physician profiles under Section
 7    23.1 of this Act, any information reported or disclosed shall
 8    be kept for the confidential use of the  Disciplinary  Board,
 9    the Medical Coordinators, the Disciplinary Board's attorneys,
10    the  medical  investigative  staff,  and  authorized clerical
11    staff, as provided in this Act, and  shall  be  afforded  the
12    same  status  as  is  provided information concerning medical
13    studies in Part 21 of Article  VIII  of  the  Code  of  Civil
14    Procedure.
15        (C)  Immunity   from   prosecution.   Any  individual  or
16    organization acting in good faith, and not in  a  wilful  and
17    wanton  manner,  in  complying with this Act by providing any
18    report or other information to  the  Disciplinary  Board,  or
19    assisting   in  the  investigation  or  preparation  of  such
20    information,  or  by  participating  in  proceedings  of  the
21    Disciplinary  Board,  or  by  serving  as  a  member  of  the
22    Disciplinary Board, shall not, as a result of  such  actions,
23    be subject to criminal prosecution or civil damages.
24        (D)  Indemnification.  Members of the Disciplinary Board,
25    the Medical Coordinators, the Disciplinary Board's attorneys,
26    the  medical  investigative  staff, physicians retained under
27    contract to assist and advise the medical coordinators in the
28    investigation,  and  authorized  clerical  staff   shall   be
29    indemnified by the State for any actions occurring within the
30    scope  of  services  on  the Disciplinary Board, done in good
31    faith and not wilful and  wanton  in  nature.   The  Attorney
32    General  shall  defend  all  such  actions  unless  he or she
33    determines either that there would be a conflict of  interest
34    in such representation or that the actions complained of were
 
                            -6-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1    not in good faith or were wilful and wanton.
 2        Should  the  Attorney General decline representation, the
 3    member shall have the right to employ counsel of his  or  her
 4    choice,  whose  fees  shall  be  provided by the State, after
 5    approval  by  the  Attorney  General,  unless  there   is   a
 6    determination  by  a court that the member's actions were not
 7    in good faith or were wilful and wanton.
 8        The member must notify the Attorney General within 7 days
 9    of  receipt  of  notice  of  the  initiation  of  any  action
10    involving services of the Disciplinary Board.  Failure to  so
11    notify  the  Attorney  General  shall  constitute an absolute
12    waiver of the right to a defense and indemnification.
13        The Attorney General shall determine within 7 days  after
14    receiving  such  notice,  whether he or she will undertake to
15    represent the member.
16        (E)  Deliberations  of  Disciplinary  Board.   Upon   the
17    receipt  of  any  report  called  for by this Act, other than
18    those reports of impaired persons  licensed  under  this  Act
19    required pursuant to the rules of the Disciplinary Board, the
20    Disciplinary  Board  shall  notify  in  writing, by certified
21    mail, the person who is the  subject  of  the  report.   Such
22    notification  shall  be made within 30 days of receipt by the
23    Disciplinary Board of the report.
24        The notification shall include a written  notice  setting
25    forth  the person's right to examine the report.  Included in
26    such notification shall be the address at which the  file  is
27    maintained, the name of the custodian of the reports, and the
28    telephone  number  at which the custodian may be reached. The
29    person who is the  subject  of  the  report  shall  submit  a
30    written  statement  responding,  clarifying,  adding  to,  or
31    proposing  the  amending of the report previously filed.  The
32    statement shall become a permanent part of the file and  must
33    be  received  by  the Disciplinary Board no more than 60 days
34    after the date on  which  the  person  was  notified  by  the
 
                            -7-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1    Disciplinary Board of the existence of the original report.
 2        The  Disciplinary Board shall review all reports received
 3    by  it,  together  with  any   supporting   information   and
 4    responding  statements  submitted  by  persons  who  are  the
 5    subject  of  reports.   The  review by the Disciplinary Board
 6    shall be in a timely  manner  but  in  no  event,  shall  the
 7    Disciplinary Board's initial review of the material contained
 8    in  each disciplinary file be less than 61 days nor more than
 9    180 days after the receipt  of  the  initial  report  by  the
10    Disciplinary Board.
11        When  the  Disciplinary Board makes its initial review of
12    the materials contained within its  disciplinary  files,  the
13    Disciplinary Board shall, in writing, make a determination as
14    to  whether  there  are  sufficient  facts to warrant further
15    investigation or action.  Failure to make such  determination
16    within   the   time   provided   shall  be  deemed  to  be  a
17    determination that there are not sufficient facts to  warrant
18    further investigation or action.
19        Should  the  Disciplinary  Board  find that there are not
20    sufficient facts to warrant further investigation, or action,
21    the report shall be accepted for filing and the matter  shall
22    be  deemed  closed  and  so  reported  to  the Director.  The
23    Director shall then  have  30  days  to  accept  the  Medical
24    Disciplinary    Board's    decision    or   request   further
25    investigation.   The  Director  shall  inform  the  Board  in
26    writing of the decision  to  request  further  investigation,
27    including   the  specific  reasons  for  the  decision.   The
28    individual or entity filing the original report or  complaint
29    and  the person who is the subject of the report or complaint
30    shall be notified in writing by the  Director  of  any  final
31    action on their report or complaint.
32        (F)  Summary   reports.   The  Disciplinary  Board  shall
33    prepare, on a timely basis, but in no  event  less  than  one
34    every  other  month,  a summary report of final actions taken
 
                            -8-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1    upon disciplinary files maintained by the Disciplinary Board.
 2    The summary reports shall be sent by the  Disciplinary  Board
 3    to  every  health  care  facility  licensed  by  the Illinois
 4    Department of Public Health, every  professional  association
 5    and society of persons licensed under this Act functioning on
 6    a  statewide  basis  in  this  State,  the  American  Medical
 7    Association,   the   American  Osteopathic  Association,  the
 8    American Chiropractic  Association,  all  insurers  providing
 9    professional  liability  insurance  to persons licensed under
10    this Act in the State of Illinois, the  Federation  of  State
11    Medical   Licensing  Boards,  and  the  Illinois  Pharmacists
12    Association.
13        (G)  Any violation of this Section shall  be  a  Class  A
14    misdemeanor.
15        (H)  If  any  such person violates the provisions of this
16    Section an action may be brought in the name of the People of
17    the State of Illinois, through the Attorney  General  of  the
18    State  of  Illinois, for an order enjoining such violation or
19    for an order enforcing compliance  with  this  Section.  Upon
20    filing  of  a  verified petition in such court, the court may
21    issue a temporary restraining order without  notice  or  bond
22    and  may  preliminarily or permanently enjoin such violation,
23    and if it is established that such person has violated or  is
24    violating  the  injunction, the court may punish the offender
25    for contempt of  court.   Proceedings  under  this  paragraph
26    shall  be  in  addition  to,  and  not  in lieu of, all other
27    remedies and penalties provided for by this Section.
28    (Source:  P.A.  89-18,  eff.  6-1-95;  89-702,  eff.  7-1-97;
29    90-699, eff. 1-1-99.)

30        (225 ILCS 60/23.1 new)
31        Sec. 23.1.  Public disclosure of disciplinary records.
32        (a)  The Disciplinary Board  shall  collect  all  of  the
33    following   information  to  create  individual  profiles  on
 
                            -9-               SRS92SB0031SFap
 1    licensees, in a format created by the Disciplinary Board that
 2    shall be available for dissemination to the public:
 3             (1)  A description of any criminal  convictions  for
 4        felonies  and  serious  misdemeanors as determined by the
 5        Disciplinary Board, within the most recent 10 years.  For
 6        the purposes of this item, a person shall be deemed to be
 7        convicted of a crime if he or she pled guilty or if he or
 8        she was found or adjudged guilty by a court of  competent
 9        jurisdiction.
10             (2)  A   description  of  any  charges  to  which  a
11        physician pleads nolo contendere or where  a  disposition
12        of   supervision   is   made  by  a  court  of  competent
13        jurisdiction, within the most recent 10 years.
14             (3)  A description of any final disciplinary actions
15        taken by the Disciplinary Board within the most recent 10
16        years.
17             (4)  A description of any final disciplinary actions
18        taken by licensing boards in other states within the most
19        recent 10 years.
20             (5)  A  description  of  revocation  or  involuntary
21        restriction of hospital privileges for reasons related to
22        competence or character  that  have  been  taken  by  the
23        hospital's  governing  body  or any other official of the
24        hospital after procedural due process has been  afforded,
25        the  resignation  from  or  nonrenewal  of  medical staff
26        membership,  or  the  restriction  of  privileges  at   a
27        hospital  taken  in lieu of or in settlement of a pending
28        disciplinary case related to competence or  character  in
29        that  hospital.  Only cases that have occurred within the
30        most  recent  10  years  shall  be   disclosed   by   the
31        Disciplinary Board to the public.
32             (6)  All   medical   malpractice   court  judgments,
33        medical malpractice arbitration awards,  and  settlements
34        of  medical malpractice claims in which a payment is made
 
                            -10-              SRS92SB0031SFap
 1        to a complaining party, within the most recent 10  years.
 2        Dispositions  of  paid  claims  shall  be  reported  in a
 3        minimum of 3 graduated categories indicating the level of
 4        significance of the  award  or  settlement.   Information
 5        concerning  paid  medical malpractice claims shall be put
 6        in context by comparing an individual licensee's  medical
 7        malpractice   judgment   and   arbitration   awards   and
 8        settlements  to  the experience of other licensees within
 9        the same specialty.  Information  concerning  settlements
10        shall   be   accompanied   by  the  following  statement:
11        "Settlement of a claim may occur for a variety of reasons
12        which  do  not  necessarily  reflect  negatively  on  the
13        professional competence or conduct of the  physician.   A
14        payment  in settlement of a medical malpractice action or
15        claim should not be construed as creating  a  presumption
16        that  medical malpractice has occurred."  Nothing in this
17        Section shall  be  construed  to  limit  or  prevent  the
18        Disciplinary  Board  from  providing  further explanatory
19        information regarding the significance of  categories  in
20        which settlements are reported.
21             Pending malpractice claims shall not be disclosed by
22        the  Disciplinary  Board  to the public.  Nothing in this
23        Section shall be construed to  prevent  the  Disciplinary
24        Board  from  investigating and disciplining a licensee on
25        the basis of medical malpractice claims that are pending.
26             (7)  Names  of  medical   schools   and   dates   of
27        graduation.
28        The Disciplinary Board shall provide each licensee with a
29    copy of his or her profile prior to release to the public.  A
30    licensee  shall  be  provided  a  reasonable  time to correct
31    factual inaccuracies that appear in his or her profile.
32        (a-5)  A licensee may elect to  include  in  his  or  her
33    profile the following information that shall be available for
34    dissemination to the public:
 
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 1             (1)  specialty board certification;
 2             (2)  number of years in practice;
 3             (3)  names  of  the hospitals where the licensee has
 4        privileges;
 5             (4)  appointments to medical  school  faculties  and
 6        indication   as   to   whether   a  licensee  has  had  a
 7        responsibility for graduate medical education within  the
 8        most recent 10 years;
 9             (5)  publications     in    peer-reviewed    medical
10        literature within the most recent 10 years;
11             (6)  professional or  community  service  activities
12        and awards;
13             (7)  the location of the licensee's primary practice
14        setting;
15             (8)  the  identification of any translating services
16        that may be available at the licensee's primary  practice
17        location; and
18             (9)  an   indication   of   whether   the   licensee
19        participates in the Medicaid program.
20        (b)  The  Department shall maintain a toll free telephone
21    line for responding to requests  for  information  about  the
22    disciplinary records of physicians in Illinois.
23        (c)  When  collecting  information  or  compiling reports
24    intended to compare physicians, the Disciplinary Board  shall
25    require that:
26             (1)  physicians  shall  be  meaningfully involved in
27        the  development  of   all   aspects   of   the   profile
28        methodology,  including  collection  methods, formatting,
29        and methods and means for release and dissemination;
30             (2)  the  entire  methodology  for  collecting   and
31        analyzing  the  data  shall  be disclosed to all relevant
32        physician  organizations  and  to  all  physicians  under
33        review;
34             (3)  data collection  and  analytical  methodologies
 
                            -12-              SRS92SB0031SFap
 1        shall  be  used  that meet accepted standards of validity
 2        and reliability;
 3             (4)  the  limitations  of  the  data   sources   and
 4        analytic methodologies used to develop physician profiles
 5        shall  be  clearly identified and acknowledged, including
 6        but not limited to the appropriate and inappropriate uses
 7        of the data;
 8             (5)  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  physician
 9        profiling  initiatives  shall  use  standard-based  norms
10        derived from widely accepted, provider-developed practice
11        guidelines;
12             (6)  provider profiles and  other  information  that
13        have  been compiled regarding physician performance shall
14        be  shared  with  physicians  under   review   prior   to
15        dissemination    provided   that   an   opportunity   for
16        corrections and additions of helpful explanatory comments
17        shall  be  afforded  before  publication,  and   provided
18        further  that  the  profiles shall include only data that
19        reflect care under the control of the physician for  whom
20        the profile is prepared;
21             (7)  comparisons   among  physician  profiles  shall
22        adjust for patient  case  mix  and  other  relevant  risk
23        factors  and  control  for  provider  peer  groups,  when
24        appropriate;
25             (8)  effective  safeguards  to  protect  against the
26        unauthorized use  or  disclosure  of  physician  profiles
27        shall be developed and implemented;
28             (9)  effective  safeguards  to  protect  against the
29        dissemination  of  inconsistent,   incomplete,   invalid,
30        inaccurate, or subjective profile data shall be developed
31        and implemented;
32             (10)  the   quality   and   accuracy   of  physician
33        profiles,  data  sources,  and  methodologies  shall   be
34        evaluated regularly; and
 
                            -13-              SRS92SB0031SFap
 1             (11)  only  the  most  basic identifying information
 2        from mandatory reports may be used, and details  about  a
 3        patient or personal details about a physician not already
 4        a matter of public record through another source must not
 5        be released.

 6        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 7    becoming law.

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