It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows

SECTION 1. Section 5-37-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-37 entitled "Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline" is hereby amended to read as follows:

5-37-1. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter:

(1) "Board" means the Rhode Island board of medical licensure and discipline or any committee or subcommittee thereof.

(2) "Chief administrative officer" means the administrator of the Rhode Island board of medical licensure and discipline.

(3) "Department" means the Rhode Island department of health.

(4) "Director" means director of the Rhode Island department of health.

(5) "Health care facility" means any institutional health service provider licensed pursuant to the provisions of chapter 17 of title 23.

(6) "Health maintenance organization" means a public or private organization licensed pursuant to the provisions of chapter 17 of title 23 or chapter 41 of title 27.

(7) "Limited registrant" means a person holding a limited registration certificate pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(8) "Medical malpractice" or "Malpractice" means any tort, or breach of contract based on health care or professional services rendered, or which should have been rendered, by a physician, dentist, hospital, clinic, health maintenance organization or professional service corporation providing health care services and organized under chapter 7-5.1, to a patient or the rendering of medically unnecessary services except at the informed request of the patient.

(9) "Nonprofit medical services corporation" or "nonprofit hospital service corporation" means any corporation organized pursuant to chapter 27-19 or 27-20 of the general laws for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and operating a nonprofit medical service plan.

(10)(a) "Peer review board" means any committee of a state or local professional association or society including a hospital association, or a committee of any licensed health care facility, or the medical staff thereof, or any committee of a medical care foundation or health maintenance organization, {ADD or any committee of a professional service corporation or nonprofit corporation of 20 or more physicians licensed pursuant to title 5, chapter 37 of the general laws organized for the purpose of furnishing medical services, ADD} or any staff committee or consultant of a hospital service or medical service corporation, the function of which, or one of the functions of which is to evaluate and improve the quality of health care rendered by providers of health care service or to determine that health care services rendered were professionally indicated or were performed in compliance with the applicable standard of care or that the cost of health care rendered was considered reasonable by the providers of professional health care services in the area and shall include a committee functioning as a utilization review committee under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. section 1395 et. seq. (medicare law) or as a professional standards review organization or statewide professional standards review council under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. section 1301 et. seq. (professional standards review organizations) or a similar committee or a committee of similar purpose, to evaluate or review the diagnosis or treatment of the performance or rendition of medical or hospital services which are performed under public medical programs of either state or federal design.

(b) Peer review board also means the board of trustees or board of directors of a state or local professional association or society, a licensed health care facility, a medical care foundation, a health maintenance organization, and a hospital service or medical service corporation only when such board of trustees or board of directors is reviewing the proceedings, records, or recommendations of a peer review board of the above enumerated organizations.

(11) "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, trust or estate, state or political subdivision, or instrumentality of a state.

(12) "Physician" means a person with a license to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine in this state under the provisions of this chapter.

(13) "Practice of medicine" shall include the practice of allopathic and osteopathic medicine. Any person shall be regarded as practicing medicine within the meaning of this chapter who holds himself or herself out as being able to diagnose, treat, operate, or prescribe for any person ill or alleged to be ill with disease, pain, injury, deformity or abnormal physical or mental condition, or who shall either profess to heal, offer or undertake, by any means or method to diagnose, treat, operate, or prescribe for any person for disease, pain, injury, deformity or physical or mental condition. In addition, one who attaches the title, M.D., physician, surgeon, D.O., osteopathic physician and surgeon, or any other similar word or words or abbreviation to his or her name indicating that he or she is engaged in the treatment or diagnosis of the diseases, injuries or conditions of persons shall be held to be engaged in the practice of medicine.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply to all causes of action arising on or after that date.