1.    The director is authorized to seek professional medical advice from a licensed medical care provider and to use that advice in decisions made by the director in regard to the issuance, renewal, suspension, revocation, or cancellation of an operator’s license under this chapter. The director may receive advice in any manner.

2.    In addition to advice sought and received under subsection 1, the director may consider information and advice received from an applicant’s or motor vehicle operator’s licensed health care provider. Any examination and report requested by the applicant, motor vehicle operator, or director under this chapter is at the expense of the applicant or motor vehicle operator.

     3. Any licensed health care provider does not incur any liability for any opinion, recommendation, or advice provided to the director under subsection 1.

4.    Advice and information received by the director under subsection 1 which relates to an individual applicant or motor vehicle operator is for the confidential use of the director in making decisions on the individual’s qualifications as a driver, and the information may not be divulged to any person or used in evidence in any trial or proceeding except in matters concerning the individual’s qualifications to receive or retain an operator’s license.

5.    In addition to other sources of information, general advice and information received by the director under this section may be used by the director in the adoption of administrative rules concerning medical criteria for driver licensing.

6.    Before operating any motor vehicle the holder of an operator’s license issued under this chapter who has suffered permanent loss of use of a hand, arm, foot, leg, or eye shall report the loss of use to the director who shall take reasonable action as may be proper under this chapter as to re-examination of the licensee to determine if the licensee is capable of operating vehicles for which the licensee is licensed.