§22-11A-69. Confidentiality standards; uses of information gained during investigation.

(a) The records, proceedings, deliberations, and documents related to the investigation and review of any infected health care worker are confidential and shall be used by committees, licensing boards of licensed health care workers, panels, and individuals only in the exercise of their official duties and shall not be public records nor be admissible in court for any purpose nor subject to discovery in any civil action except appeals governed by Sections 22-11A-64 and 22-11A-65 and appeals from adverse professional license determinations made pursuant to Sections 22-11A-66 and 22-11A-72(a). Information gained during the investigation of an infected health care worker and the decision about restriction of practice of an infected health care worker shall be made available to the appropriate licensing board and to the employer of an infected health care worker and may be used by the licensing board in any subsequent administrative hearing or procedure.

(b) However, nothing in this article shall preclude the notification of patients who have had an invasive procedure performed by an infected health care worker when deemed necessary by the State Health Officer to protect the patients of the health care worker.

(c) Any person violating the confidentiality provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500.

(d) Under no circumstances shall disclosure of the identity of the infected health care worker to members of the expert review panel pursuant to Section 22-11A-63 constitute a violation of the confidentiality provisions of this section.

(Acts 1993, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 93-846, p. 57, §10.)