27-6-103. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Dentist" means:

(a) for purposes of the assessment of the annual surcharge, an individual licensed to practice dentistry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 4, who at the time of the assessment:

(i) has as the individual's principal residence or place of dental practice the state of Montana;

(ii) is not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; and

(iii) is not fully retired from the practice of dentistry; or

(b) for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice dentistry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 4, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the claim:

(i) was an individual who had as the principal residence or place of dental practice the state of Montana and was not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; or

(ii) was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of any state to render dental services and whose shareholders, partners, or owners were individual dentists licensed to practice dentistry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 4.

(2) (a) "Health care facility" means a facility licensed as a health care facility under Title 50, chapter 5.

(b) For the purposes of this chapter, a health care facility does not include:

(i) an end-stage renal dialysis facility;

(ii) a home infusion therapy agency;

(iii) a residential care facility; or

(iv) a governmental infirmary, except a university or college infirmary.

(3) "Health care provider" means a physician, a dentist, a podiatrist, or a health care facility.

(4) "Hospital" means a hospital as defined in 50-5-101.

(5) "Malpractice claim" means a claim or potential claim of a claimant against a health care provider for medical or dental treatment, lack of medical or dental treatment, or other alleged departure from accepted standards of health care that proximately results in damage to the claimant, whether the claimant's claim or potential claim sounds in tort or contract, and includes but is not limited to allegations of battery or wrongful death.

(6) "Panel" means the Montana medical legal panel provided for in 27-6-104.

(7) "Physician" means:

(a) for purposes of the assessment of the annual surcharge, an individual licensed to practice medicine under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 3, who at the time of the assessment:

(i) has as the individual's principal residence or place of medical practice the state of Montana or practices telemedicine as defined in 37-3-102;

(ii) is not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; and

(iii) is not fully retired from the practice of medicine; or

(b) for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice medicine under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 3, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the claim:

(i) was an individual who had as the principal residence or place of medical practice the state of Montana or practiced telemedicine as defined in 37-3-102 and was not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; or

(ii) was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of any state to render medical services and whose shareholders, partners, or owners were individual physicians licensed to practice medicine under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 3.

(8) "Podiatrist" means:

(a) for purposes of the assessment of the annual surcharge, an individual licensed to practice podiatry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 6, who at the time of the assessment:

(i) has as the individual's principal residence or place of podiatric practice the state of Montana;

(ii) is not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; and

(iii) is not fully retired from the practice of podiatry; or

(b) for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice podiatry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 6, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the claim:

(i) was an individual who had as the principal residence or place of podiatric practice the state of Montana and was not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; or

(ii) was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of any state to render podiatric services and whose shareholders, partners, or owners were individual podiatrists licensed to practice podiatry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 6.