SB227,8,7 6(6) Opportunity for patients and clients to confer concerning discipline.
7(a) In this subsection, "patient" means any of the following:
SB227,8,108 1. A patient or client of a health care professional who has been adversely
9affected by conduct of the health care professional that is a subject of a disciplinary
10proceeding.
SB227,8,1211 2. A parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a patient or client specified in subd.
121., if the patient or client is a child.
SB227,8,1613 3. A person designated by a patient or client specified in subd. 1. or the spouse
14or a child, sibling, parent, or legal guardian of a patient or client specified in subd.
151., if the patient or client is physically or emotionally unable to confer as authorized
16in this subsection.
SB227,8,1717 4. If a patient or client specified in subd. 1. is deceased, any of the following:
SB227,8,1918 a. The spouse or a child, sibling, parent, or legal guardian of the deceased
19patient or client.
SB227,8,2020 b. A person who resided with the deceased patient or client.
SB227,8,2221 5. A guardian, appointed under ch. 880, of a patient or client specified in subd.
221., if the patient or client has been determined to be incompetent under ch. 880.
SB227,9,923 (b) Following an investigation of possible unprofessional conduct by a health
24care professional and before disciplinary action may be negotiated or imposed
25against the health care professional, a patient shall be provided an opportunity to

1confer with the department's prosecuting attorney concerning the disposition of the
2case and the economic, physical, and psychological effect on the patient of the
3unprofessional conduct. A prosecuting attorney may confer with a patient under this
4paragraph in person or by telephone or, if the patient agrees to the method, by any
5other method. The duty to confer under this paragraph does not limit the authority
6or obligation of the prosecuting attorney to exercise his or her discretion concerning
7the handling of a case of unprofessional conduct against the health care provider.
8Failure to provide an opportunity to confer under this paragraph is not grounds for
9appeal or dismissal of a disciplinary case against a health care professional.
SB227,9,18 10(7) Establishment of disciplinary procedure time guidelines. The
11department shall establish guidelines for the timely completion of each stage of the
12health care professional disciplinary process. Notwithstanding s. 227.10 (1), the
13guidelines need not be promulgated as rules under ch. 227. The guidelines may
14account for the type and complexity of the case. The guidelines shall promote the fair
15and efficient processing of cases of unprofessional conduct. The guidelines shall be
16for administrative purposes and shall permit the department to monitor the progress
17of cases and the performance of personnel handling the cases. Failure to comply with
18the guidelines is not grounds for appeal or dismissal.
SB227,9,25 19(8) Panels of experts; alternative health care practitioners. If the
20department establishes a panel of health care experts to be used on a consulting basis
21by a health care credentialing authority, the department shall attempt to include a
22health care professional who practices alternative forms of health care on the panel.
23A health care professional who practices alternative health care and who
24participates on a panel shall be of the same profession as the professionals regulated
25by the health care credentialing authority utilizing the panel. The health care

1professional who practices alternative health care shall be available to assist in
2evaluating complaints filed with the department or health care credentialing
3authority against a health care professional who is alleged to have practiced health
4care in an unprofessional or negligent manner through the use of alternative forms
5of health care, the referral to an alternative health care provider, or the prescribing
6of alternative medical treatment.
SB227,10,9 7(9) Advice of credentialing authorities. In carrying out its duties under this
8section, the department shall seek the advice of health care credentialing
9authorities.
SB227, s. 4 10Section 4. 448.02 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB227,10,2311 448.02 (3) (c) Subject to par. (cm), after a disciplinary hearing, the board may,
12when it determines that a panel established under s. 655.02, 1983 stats., has
13unanimously found or a court has found that a person has been negligent in treating
14a patient or when it finds a person guilty of unprofessional conduct or negligence in
15treatment, do one or more of the following: warn or reprimand that person, assess
16a forfeiture against that person under par. (d),
or limit, suspend or revoke any license,
17certificate or limited permit granted by the board to that person. The board may
18condition the removal of limitations on a license, certificate or limited permit or the
19restoration of a suspended or revoked license, certificate or limited permit upon
20obtaining minimum results specified by the board on one or more physical, mental
21or professional competency examinations if the board believes that obtaining the
22minimum results is related to correcting one or more of the bases upon which the
23limitation, suspension or revocation was imposed.
SB227, s. 5 24Section 5. 448.02 (3) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
SB227,11,3
1448.02 (3) (d) The board may, except in cases where the person is found guilty
2of negligence in treatment, assess a forfeiture of not more than $1,000 for each
3violation against a person who is found guilty of unprofessional conduct.
SB227, s. 6 4Section 6. 448.02 (4) and (9) (intro.) of the statutes are amended to read:
SB227,11,235 448.02 (4) Suspension pending hearing. The board may summarily suspend
6or limit any license, certificate or limited permit granted by the board for a period not
7to exceed 30 days pending hearing, when the board has in its possession evidence
8establishing probable cause to believe that the holder of the license, certificate or
9limited permit has violated the provisions of this subchapter and that it is necessary
10to suspend or limit the license, certificate or limited permit immediately to protect
11the public health, safety or welfare. The holder of the license, certificate or limited
12permit shall be granted an opportunity to be heard during the determination of
13probable cause. The board may designate any of its officers to exercise the authority
14granted by this subsection to suspend or limit summarily a license, certificate or
15limited permit, but such suspension or limitation shall be for a period of time not to
16exceed 72 hours. If a license, certificate or limited permit has been summarily
17suspended or limited by the board or any of its officers, the board may, while the
18hearing is in progress, extend the initial 30-day period of suspension or limitation
19for an additional 30 days. If the holder of the license, certificate or limited permit
20has caused a delay in the hearing process, the board may subsequently suspend or
21limit
the license, certificate or limited permit from the time the hearing is
22commenced until a final decision is issued or may delegate such authority to the
23hearing examiner.
SB227,12,4 24(9) Judicial review. (intro.) No injunction, temporary injunction, stay,
25restraining order or other order may be issued by a court in any proceeding for review

1that suspends or stays an order of the board to discipline a physician under sub. (3)
2(c) or to suspend or limit a physician's license under sub. (4), except upon application
3to the court and a determination by the court that all of the following conditions are
4met:
SB227, s. 7 5Section 7. 979.01 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:
SB227,12,76 979.01 (1p) (a) In this subsection, "therapeutic-related death" means a death
7that resulted from any of the following:
SB227,12,98 1. Complications of surgery, prescription drug use, or other medical procedures,
9performed or given for disease conditions.
SB227,12,1110 2. Complications of surgery, prescription drug use, or other medical procedures,
11performed or given for accidental or intentional traumatic conditions.
SB227,12,1312 3. Therapeutic misadventures, when a medical procedure may have been done
13incorrectly or resulted from an error in dosage or type of drug administered.
SB227,12,1614 (b) If the coroner or medical examiner determines that a death reported under
15sub. (1) was a therapeutic-related death, the coroner or medical examiner shall
16report this information to the department of regulation and licensing.
SB227, s. 8 17Section 8 . Nonstatutory provisions; report to legislature.
SB227,12,2518 (1) Report on time guidelines. No later than May 1, 2005, the department of
19regulation and licensing shall submit to the appropriate standing committees of the
20legislature, as determined by the speaker of the assembly or the president of the
21senate, in the manner provided under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes, a report on
22the disciplinary process time lines that were implemented by the department as
23guidelines in February 1999. The report shall address compliance with and
24enforcement of the guidelines and the effect of the guidelines on the fairness and
25efficiency of the disciplinary process.
SB227, s. 9
1Section 9. Nonstatutory provisions; medical examining board.
SB227,13,62 (1) Initial appointment of additional public members. Notwithstanding the
3length of term specified in section 15.405 (7) (b) (intro.) of the statutes, the 2
4additional public members of the medical examining board shall be initially
5appointed for the following terms by the first day of the 4th month beginning after
6the effective date of this subsection:
SB227,13,77 (a) One public member, for a term expiring on July 1, 2005.
SB227,13,88 (b) One public member, for a term expiring on July 1, 2006.
SB227, s. 10 9Section 10. Initial applicability.
SB227,13,1210 (1) The treatment of section 440.037 (4) of the statutes first applies to cases of
11possible unprofessional conduct that are screened on the effective date of this
12subsection.
SB227,13,1413 (2) The treatment of section 440.037 (5) of the statutes first applies to formal
14complaints that are filed on the effective date of this subsection.
SB227,13,1715 (3) The treatment of sections 440.037 (6) and 448.02 (3) (c) and (d) of the
16statutes first applies to cases of unprofessional conduct for which a formal complaint
17is filed on the effective date of this subsection.
SB227, s. 11 18Section 11. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication,
19except as follows:
SB227,13,2120 (1) The treatment of section 979.01 (1p) of the statutes takes effect on the first
21day of the 7th month beginning after publication.
SB227,13,2222 (End)
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