[§325-18]  Advisory committees for
health care workers infected with blood-borne infections.  (a)  The
director of health may appoint ad hoc advisory committees as needed to provide
advice and recommendations to health care workers infected with HIV, HBV, or
other blood-borne infections on the risks of blood-borne disease transmission
through exposure-prone invasive procedures.  An advisory committee may
recommend changes in a health care worker's practice, including patient
notification, to reduce the possibility of transmission to patients.  Each
committee shall include:



(1)  An infectious disease specialist with expertise
appropriate to the case; and



(2)  A professional peer of the infected health care
worker, who has expertise in the professional practice performed by that
worker.



The committee may also include the health care
worker's personal physician and, if the worker's practice is facility-based,
members of the facility's infection control committee.  The department of
health shall provide oversight and necessary staff support to the advisory
committees when resources permit.



(b)  An advisory committee shall serve only as
long as necessary for the particular case or cases for which the committee is
appointed, but its members may be named to subsequent committees as needed. 
Members of advisory committees shall serve without compensation, but shall be
reimbursed for travel expenses as necessary by the department of health for the
performance of their duties.



(c)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary,
work of the advisory committees, including records, shall be confidential,
except that a summary of non-identifying information and general policy
recommendations may be made available to the public.  All committee meetings
shall be closed to the public. [L 1994, c 265, §2]