Slip and Fall Report Protected by Medical Committee Privilege

The court conditionally granted a writ of mandamus preventing disclosure of a “Confidential Quality Review Occurrence Report” protected by the medical committee privilege.  A visitor to the relator Hospital slipped and fell on Hospital premises, and sought damages in a premises liability suit.  The visitor sought production of all incident reports made by the Hospital related to her fall.  A two-page report titled “Occurrence Report Form” listed the visitor’s name and identifying information, the date and location of her fall, and a description of the occurrence and treatment provided; it was signed by a Hospital nurse.  The report also stated “Confidential Quality Review Committee Document (NOT PART OF MEDICAL RECORD).”  The Occurrence Reports are given to the Hospital’s quality review committee, which provides general governance for the Hospital’s quality of service.  The court held that the Hospital met the standard for claiming medical committee privilege through its privilege log and a doctor’s affidavit because the Occurrence Report was not created in the regular course of business and was not part of a patient’s medical file.  The court rejected the visitor’s argument that because this case involves a non-patient visitor, the medical committee privilege cannot apply.   Instead, the court found that the medical committee privilege is not limited to evaluation of occurrences relating only to direct patient care.

In re Methodist Dallas Medical Center, No. 05-13-00134-CV