Sec. 164.0032.  ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARTICIPANTS IN INFORMAL PROCEEDINGS.  (a)  A board member or district review committee member that serves as a panelist at an informal meeting under Section 164.003 shall make recommendations for the disposition of a complaint or allegation.  The member may request the assistance of a board employee at any time.
(b)  Board employees shall present a summary of the allegations against the affected physician and of the facts pertaining to the allegation that the employees reasonably believe may be proven by competent evidence at a formal hearing.
(c)  A board attorney shall act as counsel to the panel and, notwithstanding Subsection (e), shall be present during the informal meeting and the panel's deliberations to advise the panel on legal issues that arise during the proceeding.  The attorney may ask questions of participants in the informal meeting to clarify any statement made by the participant.  The attorney shall provide to the panel a historical perspective on comparable cases that have appeared before the board, keep the proceedings focused on the case being discussed, and ensure that the board's employees and the affected physician have an opportunity to present information related to the case.  During the panel's deliberations, the attorney may be present only to advise the panel on legal issues and to provide information on comparable cases that have appeared before the board.
(d)  The panel and board employees shall provide an opportunity for the affected physician and the physician's authorized representative to reply to the board employees' presentation and to present oral and written statements and facts that the physician and representative reasonably believe could be proven by competent evidence at a formal hearing.
(e)  An employee of the board who participated in the presentation of the allegation or information gathered in the investigation of the complaint, the affected physician, the physician's authorized representative, the complainant, the witnesses, and members of the public may not be present during the deliberations of the panel.  Only the members of the panel and the board attorney serving as counsel to the panel may be present during the deliberations.
(f)  The panel shall recommend the dismissal of the complaint or allegations or, if the panel determines that the affected physician has violated a statute or board rule, the panel may recommend board action and terms for an informal settlement of the case.
(g)  The panel's recommendations under Subsection (f) must be made in a written order and presented to the affected physician and the physician's authorized representative.  The physician may accept the proposed settlement within the time established by the panel at the informal meeting.  If the physician rejects the proposed settlement or does not act within the required time, the board may proceed with the filing of a formal complaint with the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
(h)  If the board rejects the panel's recommendation for settlement or dismissal, the board shall notify the physician and state in the board's minutes the reason for rejecting the recommendation and specify further action to be considered.  In determining the appropriate further action to be taken, the board shall consider previous attempts to resolve the matter.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 269 (S.B. 419), Sec. 1.38, eff. September 1, 2005.