N.H. Rev. Stat. § 329:17

Current through Chapter 381 of the 2024 Legislative Session

Section 329:17 - Disciplinary Action; Remedial Proceedings

I.

Every clerk of the superior court shall report to the board the filing and final disposition of any action for medical injury as defined in paragraph III within 30 days after such filing and within 30 days after such final disposition.

II. Every insurer, including self-insurers, providing professional liability insurance to a licensee of the board shall send a complete report to the board as to all reservable claims coincident with medical injury that take place in this state or in any other state within 30 days after establishing the reserve. For the purpose of this paragraph, medical injury means any adverse, untoward or undesired consequences arising out of or sustained in the course of professional services rendered by a medical care provider, whether resulting from negligence, error or omission in the performance of such services; from rendition of such services without informed consent or in breach of warranty or in violation of contract; from failure to diagnose; from premature abandonment of a patient or of a course of treatment; from failure properly to maintain equipment or appliances necessary to the rendition of such services; or otherwise arising out of or sustained in the course of such services.

III.

(a) The office shall investigate any referral by the insurance commissioner under RSA 420-J:5-e, VIII or any complaint alleging that a medical director has committed misconduct as set forth in paragraph VII of this section shall be received and reviewed by the board in accordance with the provisions of this section for potential disciplinary action. For the purposes of this paragraph, "medical director" means a physician licensed under this chapter who is employed by a health carrier or medical utilization review entity and is responsible for the utilization review techniques and methods of the health carrier or medical utilization review entity and their administration and implementation.

(b) Any complaint received by the office regarding an insurance coverage decision by a medical director shall be forwarded to the insurance commissioner for review.

IV. Every facility administrator, or designee, for any licensed hospital, health clinic, ambulatory surgical center, or other health care facility within the state shall report to the office any disciplinary or adverse action, within 30 days after such action is taken, including situations in which allegations of misconduct are settled by voluntary resignation without adverse action, against a licensed individual. Disciplinary or adverse action shall include the requirement that a licensee undergo counseling or be subject to any policy with regard to disruptive behavior.

V. Every professional society within the state comprised primarily of licensees shall report to the office any disciplinary action against a member relating to professional ethics, medical incompetence, or drug or alcohol abuse within 30 days after such disciplinary action is taken.

VI. When a threat to public health, safety, or welfare may exist, the office shall notify the facility, a practice's managing physician or administrator, or the hospital chief executive officer of any pending disciplinary proceedings, non-disciplinary remedial proceedings, recommended corrective actions, or concerns for informational purposes or referral to the facility, practice, or hospital's credentials and quality assurance committees or their equivalent. The entity receiving notification shall report back to the board of medicine with a progress or final report within 45 days.

VII. The board, after hearing, may take disciplinary action against any person licensed by it upon finding that the person:

(a) Has knowingly provided false information during any application for professional licensure or hospital privileges, whether by making any affirmative statement which was false at the time it was made or by failing to disclose any fact material to the application.

(b) Is a habitual user of drugs or intoxicants.

(c) Has displayed medical practice which is incompatible with the basic knowledge and competence expected of persons licensed to practice medicine or any particular aspect or specialty thereof.

(d) Has engaged in dishonest or unprofessional conduct or has been grossly or repeatedly negligent in practicing medicine or in performing activities ancillary to the practice of medicine or any particular aspect or specialty thereof, or has intentionally injured a patient while practicing medicine or performing such ancillary activities.

(e) Has employed or allowed an unlicensed person to practice in the licensee's office.

(f) Has failed to provide adequate safeguards in regard to aseptic techniques or radiation techniques.

(g) Has included in advertising any statement of a character tending to deceive or mislead the public or any statement claiming professional superiority.

(h) Has advertised the use of any drug or medicine of an unknown formula or any system of anesthetic that is unnamed, misnamed, misrepresented, or not in reality used.

(i) Has willfully or repeatedly violated any provision of this chapter or any substantive rule of the board.

(j) Has been convicted of a felony under the laws of the United States or any state.

(k) Has failed to maintain adequate medical record documentation on diagnostic and therapeutic treatment provided or has unreasonably delayed medical record transfer, or violated RSA 332-I.

(l) Has knowingly obtained, attempted to obtain or assisted a person in obtaining or attempting to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance without having formed a valid physician-patient relationship pursuant to RSA 329:1-c.

VIII. The board may take non-disciplinary remedial action against any person licensed by it upon finding that the person is afflicted with physical or mental disability, disease, disorder, or condition deemed dangerous to the public health. Upon making an affirmative finding, the board, may take non-disciplinary remedial action:

(a) By suspension, limitation, or restriction of a license for a period of time as determined reasonable by the board.

(b) By revocation of license.

(c) By requiring the person to submit to the care, treatment, or observation of a physician, counseling service, health care facility, professional assistance program, or any combination thereof which is acceptable to the board.

(d) By requiring the person to practice under the direction of a physician in a public institution, public or private health care program, or private practice for a period of time specified by the board.

IX. The state of New Hampshire confirms its strong support for shared decision making between health care professionals and their patients. A licensee may lawfully prescribe an FDA approved drug product for an off-label indication and be held to the same standard of care as when prescribing for on-label indication when:

(a) Off-label use of the drug product for this indication has longstanding common use;

(b) There is medical evidence to support this use and no known evidence contraindicating such use, including but not limited to, peer reviewed studies and practice guidelines from relevant medical societies; or

(c) The licensee has provided and the patient, or if the patient is a minor, the patient's parent or guardian, has signed an informed consent form that includes the known potential benefits, known potential risks, alternative treatment options, expected prognosis without treatment, and a disclosure that a prescription is for an off-label indication. The signed informed consent form shall remain part of the patient's medical record.

X. No civil action shall be maintained against the board or any member of the board or its agents or employees with regard to any action or activity taken in the performance of any duty or authority established by this chapter. No civil action shall be maintained against any organization or its members or against any other person for or by reason of any good faith statement, report, communication, or testimony to the board or determination by the board in relation to proceedings under this chapter.

XI. Any persons who have had their licenses to practice medicine revoked or suspended shall be barred from practicing any other human health care activities, including psychotherapy, whether or not such other activity is licensed or certified by another licensing agency.

RSA 329:17

Amended by 2024, 364:11, eff. 10/22/2024.

Amended by 2023, 212:20, eff. 10/3/2023.

Amended by 2022 , 148: 11, eff. 8/6/2022.

Amended by 2022 , 306: 1, eff. 7/1/2022.

Amended by 2021 , 197: §§75, 76 eff. 7/1/2021.

Amended by 2019 , 254: 2, eff. 9/17/2019.

Amended by 2018 , 102: 1, §2 eff. 1/1/2019.

Amended by 2016 , 2: 10, eff. 1/21/2016.

Amended by 2015 , 276: 63, eff. 7/1/2015.

1915, 167:13. PL 204 :14. RL 250:14. 1951, 27:7. RSA 329:17. 1955, 71:1. 1975, 186:11. 1977, 417:18. 1981, 396:3; 483:6, 9. 1983, 377:9, 10. 1986, 219:15-18. 1991, 382:16, 17. 1992, 179:5-8, 14, III. 1993, 179:6-8, 15; 264:1, 2. 1995, 286:17-19. 1998, 170:2. 2000, 18:1, 2. 2001, 228:9, eff. Sept. 9, 2001. 2005, 154:2-7, eff. Aug. 20, 2005; 248:1, eff. Sept. 12, 2005. 2006, 249:1, eff. June 5, 2006; 249:2, eff. June 23, 2006. 2008, 21:4, eff. July 11, 2008; 217:8, eff. Jan. 1, 2009. 2009, 206:14, eff. July 1, 2009.