This information was last updated by Horty, Springer & Mattern on March 16, 2021.
IOWA
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Iowa Code Ann. §147.135 Peer review committees–nonliability–records and reports privileged and confidential.
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3. a. A full and confidential report concerning any final hospital disciplinary action approved by a hospital board of trustees that results in a limitation, suspension, or revocation of a physician’s privilege to practice for reasons relating to the physician’s professional competence or concerning any voluntary surrender or limitation of privileges for reasons relating to professional competence shall be made to the board of medicine by the hospital administrator or chief of medical staff within ten days of such action. The board of medicine shall investigate the report and take appropriate action. These reports shall be privileged and confidential as though included in and subject to the requirements for peer review committee information in subsection 2. Persons making these reports and persons participating in resulting proceedings related to these reports shall be immune from civil liability with respect to the making of the report or participation in resulting proceedings. As used in this subsection, “physician” means a person licensed pursuant to chapter 148.
b. Notwithstanding subsection 2, if the board of medicine conducts an investigation based on a complaint received or upon its own motion, a hospital pursuant to subpoena shall make available information and documents requested by the board, specifically including reports or descriptions of any complaints or incidents concerning an individual who is the subject of the board’s investigation, even though the information and documents are also kept for, are the subject of, or are being used in peer review by the hospital. However, the deliberations, testimony, decisions, conclusions, findings, recommendations, evaluations, work product, or opinions of a peer review committee or its members and those portions of any documents or records containing or revealing information relating thereto shall not be subject to the board’s request for information, subpoena, or other legal compulsion. All information and documents received by the board from a hospital under this section shall be confidential pursuant to section 272C.6, subsection 4.
§272C.8 Immunities.
1. a. A person shall not be civilly liable as a result of the person’s acts, omissions, or decisions in good faith as a member of a licensing board or as an employee or agent in connection with the person’s duties.
b. A person shall not be civilly liable as a result of filing a report or complaint with a licensing board or peer review committee, or for the disclosure to a licensing board or its agents or employees, whether or not pursuant to a subpoena of records, documents, testimony, or other forms of information which constitute privileged matter concerning a recipient of health care services or some other person, in connection with proceedings of a peer review committee, or in connection with duties of a health care board. However, such immunity from civil liability shall not apply if such act is done with malice.
c. A person shall not be dismissed from employment, and shall not be discriminated against by an employer because the person filed a complaint with a licensing board or peer review committee, or because the person participated as a member, agent, or employee of a licensing board or peer review committee, or presented testimony or other evidence to a licensing board or peer review committee.
2. Any employer who violates the terms of this section shall be liable to any person aggrieved for actual and punitive damages plus reasonable attorney fees.
§272C.9 Duties of licensees.
1. Each licensee of a licensing board, as a condition of licensure, is under a duty to submit to a physical, mental, or clinical competency examination when directed in writing by the board for cause. All objections shall be waived as to the admissibility of the examining physician’s testimony or reports on the grounds of privileged communications. The medical testimony or report shall not be used against the licensee in any proceeding other than one relating to licensee discipline by the board, or one commenced in district court for revocation of the licensee’s privileges. The licensing board, upon probable cause, shall have the authority to order a physical, mental, or clinical competency examination, and upon refusal of the licensee to submit to the examination the licensing board may order that the allegations pursuant to which the order of physical, mental, or clinical competency examination was made shall be taken to be established.
2. A licensee has a continuing duty to report to the licensing board by whom the person is licensed those acts or omissions specified by rule of the board pursuant to section 272C.4, subsection 6, when committed by another person licensed by the same licensing board. This subsection does not apply to licensees under chapter 542C when the observations are a result of participation in programs of practice review, peer review and quality review conducted by professional organizations of certified public accountants, for educational purposes and approved by the accountancy examining board.
3. A licensee shall have a continuing duty and obligation, as a condition of licensure, to report to the licensing board by which the licensee is licensed every adverse judgment in a professional or occupational malpractice action to which the licensee is a party, and every settlement of a claim against the licensee alleging malpractice.
4. A licensee who willfully fails to comply with subsection 2 or 3 of this section commits a violation of this chapter for which licensee discipline may be imposed.
Iowa Admin. Code r. §653—22.1(272C) Mandatory reporting—judgments or settlements.
Each licensee, including a licensee holding an inactive license, shall report to the board every adverse judgment and every settlement of a claim against the licensee in a malpractice action to which the licensee is a party. The report, together with a copy of the judgment or settlement, must be filed with the board within 30 days from the date of said judgment or settlement. Failure to report judgments or settlements in accordance with this rule within the required 30-day period shall constitute a basis for disciplinary action against the licensee who failed to report.
§653—22.2(272C) Mandatory reporting—wrongful acts or omissions.
22.2(1) Definitions.
For the purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply:
“Knowledge” means any information or evidence of reportable conduct acquired by personal observation, from a reliable or authoritative source, or under circumstances causing the licensee to believe that wrongful acts or omissions may have occurred.
“Reportable conduct” means wrongful acts or omissions that are grounds for license revocation or suspension under these rules or that otherwise constitute negligence, careless acts or omissions that demonstrate a licensee’s inability to practice medicine competently, safely, or within the bounds of medical ethics, pursuant to Iowa Code sections 272C.3(2) and 272C.4(6) and 653—Chapter 23.
22.2(2) Reporting requirement.
A report shall be filed with the board when a licensee has knowledge as defined in this rule that another person licensed by the board may have engaged in reportable conduct.
a. The report shall be filed with the board no later than 30 days from the date the licensee acquires knowledge of the reportable conduct.
b. The report shall contain the name and address of the licensee who may have engaged in the reportable conduct; the date, time, place and circumstances in which the conduct occurred; and a statement explaining how knowledge of the reportable conduct was acquired.
c. The final determination of whether or not wrongful acts or omissions have occurred is the responsibility of the board.
d. A physician is not required to report confidential communication obtained from a physician in the course and as a result of a physician-patient relationship or when a state or federal statute prohibits such disclosure.
e. Failure to report a wrongful act or omission in accordance with this rule within the required 30-day period shall constitute a basis for disciplinary action against the licensee who failed to report.
f. A licensee shall not be civilly liable as a result of filing a report with the board so long as such report is not made with malice.
§653—22.3(272C) Mandatory reporting—disciplinary action in another jurisdiction.
Each licensee, including a licensee holding an inactive license, shall report to the board every license revocation, suspension or other disciplinary action taken against the licensee by a professional licensing authority of another state, an agency of the United States government, or any country, territory or other jurisdiction. The report must be filed with the board within 30 days from the date of the action against the physician’s license. Failure to report such disciplinary action in accordance with this rule within the required 30-day period shall constitute a basis for disciplinary action against the licensee.
§653—24.1(17A,147,148,272C) Complaints.
24.1(1) Form and content of the complaint.
A complaint shall be made in the form deemed acceptable by the board. The complaint shall contain the following information:
a. The full name, address and telephone number of the complainant, except in instances in which the identity of the complainant is unknown.
b. The full name, address and telephone number, if known, of the licensee.
c. A clear and accurate statement of the facts that apprises the board of the allegations against the licensee.
24.1(2) Place and time of filing of the complaint.
A written complaint may be delivered in person, by mail or electronically to the board office. The office address is Iowa Board of Medicine, 400 S.W. 8th Street, Suite C, Des Moines, Iowa 50309-4686. The board’s Web site address is www.medicalboard.iowa.gov.
24.1(3) Immunity.
A person shall not be civilly liable as a result of filing a report or complaint with the board or peer review committee, or for the disclosure to the board or its agents or employees, whether or not pursuant to a subpoena of records, documents, testimony or other forms of information which constitute privileged matter concerning a recipient of health care services or some other person, in connection with proceedings of a peer review committee, or in connection with duties of the board. However, such immunity from civil liability shall not apply if such act is done with malice.