Opinion ID: 1591402
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: whether the circuit court erred in denying in part east mississippi's motion in limine.

Text: ¶ 27. Gwendolyn Hardaway was a patient advocate [9] at East Mississippi at the time of the accident. She conducted an investigation, interviewed many witnesses and wrote a report. East Mississippi filed a motion in limine to prevent Hardaway from testifying at the trial and to bar the introduction of her report into evidence. The circuit court granted that part of the motion in limine which pertained to the report, finding it was confidential and privileged under Miss.Code Ann. § 41-63-21 (Rev.2005). However, the circuit court held that a patient advocate was not subject to any privilege and that Hardaway could testify. East Mississippi contends that Hardaway was, in essence, a quality assurance officer and was thus subject to Miss.Code Ann. § 41-63-23 (Rev.2005), which provides in pertinent part as follows: No person involved in preparation, evaluation or review of accreditation or quality assurance materials shall be permitted or required to testify in any civil action as to any evidence or other matters produced or presented during the course of preparation, evaluation or review of such materials or as to any finding, recommendation, evaluation, opinion, or other action of such accreditation or quality assurance or other person involved therein. ¶ 28. The circuit court found that a patient advocate's primary duties were to protect vulnerable adults and to investigate allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Hardaway also testified that patients had specific rights guaranteed by statute and by East Mississippi, and had civil rights. Her purpose was to respond to reports and determine whether a patient's rights had been violated or if the patient had been abused, neglected or exploited. We find that the circuit court's denial in part of the motion in limine was not an abuse of discretion. See Poole v. Avara, 908 So.2d 716, 721 (Miss.2005) (The standard of review for the admission or suppression of evidence . . . is abuse of discretion.). Hardaway's function was to protect Hall's rights as a patient, not to participate in accreditation or quality assurance.