The bill amends existing laws related to the oversight of physicians in New Mexico, specifically focusing on the reporting and management of medical malpractice cases. It mandates that courts notify the New Mexico Medical Board whenever physicians are named as defendants in malpractice lawsuits, as well as when claims against them are dismissed or amended. Additionally, the bill extends the timeframe for the Medical Board to summarily suspend a physician's license from fifteen to thirty days after a hearing request.

Furthermore, the bill requires the Medical Board to maintain a database of malpractice claims, payments, and disciplinary actions, which will be accessible on the Board's website. It also stipulates that any malpractice claim resulting in payments of one million dollars or more must be reviewed by the Board. Entities that report such information in good faith are granted immunity from civil damages, while those failing to comply with reporting requirements may face penalties of up to ten thousand dollars.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 61-6-15.1, 61-6-16