California CodesBusiness and Professions Code - BPCDivision 2 — Healing ArtsChapter 5 — MedicineArticle 12 — EnforcementSection 2240

(a) A physician and surgeon who performs a medical procedure outside of a general acute care hospital, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, that results in the death of any patient on whom that medical treatment was performed by the physician and surgeon, or by a person acting under the physician and surgeon’s orders or supervision, shall report, in writing on a form prescribed by the board, that occurrence to the board within 15 days after the occurrence.

(b) A physician and surgeon who performs a scheduled medical procedure outside of a general acute care hospital, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, that results in the transfer to a hospital or emergency center for medical treatment for a period exceeding 24 hours, of any patient on whom that medical treatment was performed by the physician and surgeon, or by a person acting under the physician and surgeon’s orders or supervision, shall report, in writing, on a form prescribed by the board that occurrence, within 15 days after the occurrence. The form shall contain all of the following information:

(1) Name of the patient’s physician in the outpatient setting.

(2) Name of the physician with hospital privileges.

(3) Name of the patient and patient identifying information.

(4) Name of the hospital or emergency center where the patient was transferred.

(5) Type of outpatient procedures being performed.

(6) Events triggering the transfer.

(7) Duration of the hospital stay.

(8) Final disposition or status, if not released from the hospital, of the patient.

(9) Physician’s practice specialty and ABMS certification, if applicable.

(c) The form described in subdivision (b) shall be constructed in a format to enable the physician and surgeon to transmit the information in paragraphs (5) to (9), inclusive, to the board in a manner that the physician and surgeon and the patient are anonymous and their identifying information is not transmitted to the board. The entire form containing information described in paragraphs (1) to (9), inclusive, shall be placed in the patient’s medical record.

(d) The board shall aggregate the data and publish an annual report on the information collected pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b).

(e) On and after January 1, 2002, the data required in subdivision (b) shall be sent to the Department of Health Care Access and Information instead of the board. The Department of Health Care Access and Information may revise the reporting requirements to fit state and national standards, as applicable. The board shall work with the Department of Health Care Access and Information in developing the reporting mechanism to satisfy the data collection requirements of this section.

(f) The failure to comply with this section constitutes unprofessional conduct.