A. Any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, podiatrist, veterinarian, or optometrist licensed to practice in the Commonwealth shall be immune from civil liability for any communication, finding, opinion, or conclusion made in performance of his duties while serving as a member of any committee, board, group, commission, or other entity that is responsible for resolving questions concerning the admission of any physician, psychologist, podiatrist, veterinarian, or optometrist to, or the taking of disciplinary action against any member of, any medical society, academy, or association affiliated with the American Medical Association, the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists, the American Psychological Association, the Virginia Applied Psychology Academy, the Virginia Academy of School Psychologists, the American Podiatric Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the International Chiropractic Association, the American Chiropractic Association, the Virginia Chiropractic Association, or the American Optometric Association, provided that such communication, finding, opinion, or conclusion is not made in bad faith or with malicious intent.
§ 8.01-581.19.Civil immunity for physicians, psychologists, podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, nursing home administrators, and certified emergency medical services providers while members of certain committees.
Chapter 21.1. Medical Malpractice · Article 2. Miscellaneous Provisions · Last amended 2015 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentencePhysicians and several other licensed professionals, nursing home administrators, and certified EMS providers are immune from civil liability for what they say or conclude while serving on committees that decide admission to, or discipline within, their professional or trade associations, so long as they do not act in bad faith or with malicious intent.
Full Text of § 8.01-581.19
B. Any nursing home administrator licensed under the laws of the Commonwealth shall be immune from civil liability for any communication, finding, opinion, decision, or conclusion made in performance of his duties while serving as a member of any committee, board, group, commission, or other entity that is responsible for resolving questions concerning the admission of any health care facility to, or the taking of disciplinary action against any member of, the Virginia Health Care Association, provided that such communication, finding, opinion, decision, or conclusion is not made in bad faith or with malicious intent.
C. Any emergency medical services provider who holds a valid certificate issued by the Commissioner of Health shall be immune from civil liability for any communication, finding, opinion, decision, or conclusion made in performance of his duties while serving as a member of any regional council, committee, board, group, commission, or other entity that is responsible for resolving questions concerning the quality of care, including triage, interfacility transfer, and other components of emergency medical services care, unless such communication, finding, opinion, decision, or conclusion is made in bad faith or with malicious intent.
Plain-English Summary
Subsection A immunizes physicians, chiropractors, psychologists, podiatrists, veterinarians, and optometrists licensed in Virginia for communications, findings, opinions, or conclusions made while serving on a committee that resolves questions about admitting a professional to, or disciplining a member of, a named medical society or association — the American Medical Association, several psychology associations, the American Podiatric Medical Association, veterinary and chiropractic associations, and the American Optometric Association among them — provided the committee work wasn’t done in bad faith or with malicious intent.
Subsection B extends a parallel protection to licensed nursing home administrators serving on committees that resolve admission or disciplinary questions involving the Virginia Health Care Association, and subsection C covers certified emergency medical services providers serving on regional councils or committees that resolve questions about the quality of EMS care, including triage and interfacility transfer, again unless the conduct was in bad faith or malicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of committee work does subsection A protect?
Communications, findings, opinions, or conclusions made while serving as a member of a committee resolving questions about admitting a professional to, or disciplining a member of, a named medical, psychological, podiatric, veterinary, chiropractic, or optometric association.
Are nursing home administrators covered by this section?
Yes. Subsection B gives them parallel immunity for committee work resolving admission or disciplinary questions regarding the Virginia Health Care Association.
What does subsection C protect for EMS providers?
Immunity for communications, findings, opinions, decisions, or conclusions made while serving on a regional council or committee responsible for resolving questions about the quality of emergency medical services care, including triage and interfacility transfer.
Does bad faith defeat this immunity?
Yes. In all three subsections, the immunity requires that the communication, finding, opinion, decision, or conclusion not be made in bad faith or with malicious intent.
Must the EMS provider hold a particular credential to get this immunity?
Yes, a valid certificate issued by the Commissioner of Health.
Amendment History
1978, c. 541; 1987, c. 713; 1989, c. 729; 1993, c. 702; 1996, cc. 937, 980; 2006, c. 412; 2015, cc. 502, 503.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Code of Virginia, published by the
Code of Virginia, Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: virginia professional association discipline committee immunitynursing home administrator committee immunity virginiaEMS quality of care committee immunity virginia