78B-3-418.  Decision and recommendations of panel — No judicial or other review.

(1) 

Terms Used In Utah Code 78B-3-418

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Division: means the Division of Professional Licensing created in Section 58-1-103. See Utah Code 78B-3-403
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Health care provider: includes any person, partnership, association, corporation, or other facility or institution who causes to be rendered or who renders health care or professional services as a hospital, health care facility, physician, physician assistant, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, nurse-midwife, licensed direct-entry midwife, dentist, dental hygienist, optometrist, clinical laboratory technologist, pharmacist, physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, podiatric physician, psychologist, chiropractic physician, naturopathic physician, osteopathic physician, osteopathic physician and surgeon, audiologist, speech-language pathologist, clinical social worker, certified social worker, social service worker, marriage and family counselor, practitioner of obstetrics, licensed athletic trainer, or others rendering similar care and services relating to or arising out of the health needs of persons or groups of persons and officers, employees, or agents of any of the above acting in the course and scope of their employment. See Utah Code 78B-3-403
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • Writing: includes :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
(a)  The panel shall issue an opinion and the division shall issue a certificate of compliance with the pre-litigation hearing requirements of this part in accordance with this section.

(b)  A certificate of compliance issued in accordance with this section is proof that the claimant has complied with all conditions precedent under this part prior to the commencement of litigation as required in Subsection 78B-3-412(1).

(2) 

(a)  The panel shall render its opinion in writing not later than 30 days after the end of the proceedings, and determine on the basis of the evidence whether:

(i)  each claim against each health care provider has merit or has no merit; and

(ii)  if a claim is meritorious, whether the conduct complained of resulted in harm to the claimant.

(b)  There is no judicial or other review or appeal of the panel’s decision or recommendations.

(3)  The division shall issue a certificate of compliance to the claimant, for each respondent named in the intent to file a claim under this part, if:

(a)  for a named respondent, the panel issues an opinion of merit under Subsections (2)(a)(i) and (ii);

(b)  for a named respondent, the claimant files an affidavit of merit in accordance with Section 78B-3-423 if the opinion under Subsection (1)(a) is non-meritorious under either Subsection (2)(a)(i) or (ii);

(c)  the claimant has complied with the provisions of Subsections 78B-3-416(4)(c) and (d); or

(d)  the parties submitted a stipulation under Subsection 78B-3-416(4)(e).

Amended by Chapter 212, 2022 General Session