Bill > HB2259

This bill clarifies protections for information shared by healthcare providers and organizations related to quality improvement committees (QICs), which are groups that review patient care to identify areas for improvement. Specifically, it states that if a healthcare provider or organization in good faith shares information about a QIC's activities with a patient or their family, it does not mean they are giving up the legal protections that keep QIC information confidential. The bill also defines "adverse healthcare incident" as an outcome of patient care that results in death or injury, and "open discussion" as communications made for the purpose of addressing such incidents, which are protected from being used as evidence in legal proceedings. Healthcare providers are not required to disclose QIC findings in legal settings, and even if they must disclose information to comply with other laws, it won't waive the confidentiality of the QIC's materials. The bill allows for voluntary "open discussions" with patients or their families after an adverse healthcare incident, provided certain conditions are met, including the patient or family member signing an acknowledgment, and these discussions are not considered admissions of liability.