Mat-Su Valley Medical Center, LLC, D/b/a Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Petitioner v. Denise Bolinder, as Personal…

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court held that the medical peer review privilege protects complaint-related materials acquired and maintained by peer review organizations, including materials originating outside the peer review process, although original sources may be questioned directly about their own knowledge. The court also held that the false-information exception applies only when submitting false information is an element of the plaintiff's claim, so it did not permit discovery of credentialing materials in these cases. The court reversed the discovery orders in part, affirmed one portion requiring testimony based on personal knowledge, and remanded for further proceedings.