§ 9-19-27.2. Evidence of charges required from hospitals for medical records, hospital services
and for prescriptions and orthopedic appliances — Applicable to claims against medical
providers.
(a) In any proceeding commenced in any court, commission, or agency, an itemized bill
and reports, whether originating within this state or any other state, including hospital
medical records, relating to medical, dental, hospital services, prescriptions, or
orthopedic appliances rendered to or prescribed for a person injured, and/or any report
of any examination of the injured person, including, but not limited to, hospital
medical records subscribed and sworn to under the penalties of perjury by the physician,
dentist, or authorized agent of the hospital rendering the services or by the pharmacist
or retailer of orthopedic appliances, shall be admissible as evidence of the fair
and reasonable charge for the services and/or the necessity of the services or treatment,
the diagnosis of the physician or dentist, the prognosis of the physician or dentist;
the opinion of the physician or dentist as to proximate cause of the condition so
diagnosed, and the opinion of the physician or dentist as to disability or incapacity,
if any, proximately resulting from the condition so diagnosed; and, provided, further,
that written notice of the intention to offer the bill or report as such evidence,
together with a copy thereof, has been given to the opposing party or parties, or
to his or her or their attorneys, by mailing the notice by certified mail, return
receipt requested, not less than ten (10) days before the introduction of the bill
or report into evidence, and that an affidavit of the notice and the return receipt
is filed with the clerk of the court forthwith after the receipt has been returned.
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to limit the right of any party
to the action to summon or depose, at his or her own expense, the physician, dentist,
pharmacist, retailer of orthopedic appliances, or agent of the hospital for the purpose
of cross examination with respect to the bill, record, and report or to rebut the
contents thereof, or for any other purpose, nor to limit the right of any party to
the action to summon or depose any other person to testify in respect to the bill,
record, and/or report or for any other purpose.
(b) The words "physician�, and "dentist� shall not include any person who is not licensed
to practice as such under the laws of the jurisdiction within which the services were
rendered, but shall include chiropodists, chiropractors, optometrists, osteopaths,
physical therapists, psychologists, and other medical personnel licensed to practice
under title 5 or under the laws of the jurisdiction within which the services were
rendered.
(c) The word "hospital� shall mean any hospital required to incorporate under title 7,
or which is in any way licensed or regulated by the laws of any other state, or by
the laws and regulations of the United States, including hospitals of the veterans
administration or similar type institutions, whether incorporated or not.
(d) Any party objecting to the admitting into evidence of the affidavit shall file an
objection specifying the grounds thereof within ten (10) days of receipt of the affidavit,
or said objections are waived.
(e) These provisions shall only apply to claims for personal injury or wrongful death
filed against a licensed physician, hospital, clinic, health maintenance organization,
professional service corporation providing health care services, dentist, or dental
hygienist based on professional negligence.