Utah Recognizes a New Cause of Action for Negligent Credentialing of a Health Care Provider
Posted by: Zack Peterson
March 01, 2011

In Archuleta v. Halverson, 2010 UT 36, the Utah Supreme Court, in a 3-2 decision, reversed and held that Utah now follows the majority of jurisdictions and recognizes a cause of action for negligent credentialing.  The primary basis for recognizing this new cause of action was Justice Durham's determination that the immunity contemplated by the peer review statute only operated between the doctor whose credentials are under review, the suppliers of information, and the decision makers.  Justice Durham determined that the peer review statute did not contemplate immunity between a patient and a hospital.  The Court concluded that "the [peer review] statute was never intended to shield hospitals from potential liability or to provide hospitals protection from medical malpractice claims."

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