Opinion ID: 1314446
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Are the Records Exempt from Disclosure as Hospital Records Generated to Provided Peer Review?

Text: Records generated to provide peer review are exempted from the requirement that all public records be open for inspection. These records are exempted from disclosure to further the important goals of improving health care and reducing patient mortality and morbidity through candid assessment of health care providers and facilities by peer review. Appellants contend that the records are protected from disclosure under the Open Records Act by OCGA § 31-7-15 (d), which exempts from disclosure hospital records generated to provide peer review as required by subsection (a) of the statute. Appellants insist that the trial court erred in finding that the purpose of DHR in receiving the reports rather than the purpose of JCAHO in preparing the reports controls. Appellants also assert that summary judgment on this issue was inappropriate because the only affidavit concerning the status of JCAHO was the affidavit of appellants that JCAHO is a peer review committee. Appellees respond that the reports in question are generated as part of the state's licensing activities rather than as peer review, arguing that the reports are generated to comply with OCGA § 31-7-3 (b), which deals with licensing, rather than to comply with § 31-7-15, which deals with peer review. We agree. OCGA § 31-7-3 (b), enacted earlier than OCGA § 31-7-15, provides that the DHR may accept accreditation from JCAHO. In this provision, JCAHO is referred to as an accreditation body, not a peer review committee. Because under the applicable statute JCAHO is an accreditation body rather than a peer review committee, the affidavits submitted by appellants to show that JCAHO is a peer review committee are not determinative.