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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70129</law_id><section_number>32.1-125.5</section_number><catch_line>Confidentiality of complainant&amp;#8217;s identity</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Regulation of Medical Care Facilities and Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Whenever the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> conducts <span class="dictionary">inspections</span> and investigations in response to complaints received from the public, the identity of the complainant and the identity of any patient who is the subject of the complaint, or identified therein, shall be treated as confidential and shall not be open to <span class="dictionary">inspection</span> by members of the public. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>, in its discretion, from disclosing to the <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> the nature of the complaint or the identity of the patient who is the subject of the complaint. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> or its employees from making reports under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Requirement that certain injuries to children be reported by physicians, nurses, teachers, etc.; penalty for failure to report" href="/63.2-1509/">63.2-1509</a> or Article 2 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Protection of adults; definitions" href="/63.2-1603/">63.2-1603</a> et seq.) of Chapter 16 of Title 63.2. If the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> intends to rely, in whole or in part, on any statements made by the complainant, at any administrative <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> brought against the <span class="dictionary">hospital</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall disclose the identity of the complainant to the <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> in a reasonable time in advance of such <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>.</p></section></text><history>2003, c. 309.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
