Sec. 501.051. MEDICAL FACILITIES AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH. (a) The medical facility constructed by the institutional division at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston shall be used as a teaching facility and be limited to patients who are teaching patients, as long as the medical facility is used for the treatment of department patients. The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System shall maintain and operate the facility and provide professional staff services necessary for the care of patients in the facility, except that the department shall provide security at the facility. The facility shall provide the same level of care as is provided for patients in other facilities of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

(b) If the medical facility ceases to be used for department patients, the facility shall revert to the medical branch for its use and be operated under the exclusive management and control of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System.

(c) The medical facility shall be operated with funds appropriated for that purpose.

(d) The department shall establish and maintain an overnight holding facility for inmate outpatients at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

(e) The department and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston shall by rule adopt a memorandum of understanding that establishes the responsibilities of the department and the medical branch in maintaining the department's medical facility, providing security, and providing medical care. The memorandum must also establish a joint peer review committee and a joint utilization review committee. Each committee shall be composed of medical personnel employed by the department and by the medical branch. The joint peer review committee shall review all case files to determine whether the quality of medical care provided is adequate, according to accepted medical standards. The joint utilization review committee shall review all case files to determine whether treatment given is medically necessary under the circumstances of each case, taking into account accepted medical standards. The department shall coordinate the development of the memorandum of understanding.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 212, Sec. 2.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 500.051 and amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 10.01(a), eff. Aug. 26, 1991. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, Sec. 1.086, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.