(a) To qualify as a volunteer health practitioner registration system, a system must:
(1) accept applications for the registration of volunteer health practitioners before or during an emergency;
(2) include information about the licensure and good standing of health practitioners which is accessible by authorized persons;
(3) be capable of confirming the accuracy of information concerning whether a health practitioner is licensed and in good standing before health services or veterinary services are provided under this chapter; and
(4)
(A) be designated by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management as a registration system for purposes of this chapter.
(B) The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management may consider and may approve a request for the designation of a registration system submitted by a disaster relief organization, licensing board, national or regional association of licensing boards or healthcare practitioners, health facility that provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient healthcare services, or host entity, and may on its own initiative approve registration systems established by this state or other states funded through the United States Department of Health and Human Services under Section 3197 of the Public Health Services Act, 42 U.S.C. § 247d, or by medical reserve corps units formed under Section 2801 of the Public Health Services Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300hh.
(b) While an emergency declaration is in effect, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, a person authorized to act on behalf of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, or a host entity, may confirm whether volunteer health practitioners utilized in this state are registered with a registration system that complies with subsection (a). Confirmation is limited to obtaining identities of the practitioners from the system and determining whether the system indicates that the practitioners are licensed and in good standing.
(c) Upon request of a person in this state authorized under subsection (b), or a similarly authorized person in another state, a registration system located in this state shall notify the person of the identities of volunteer health practitioners and whether the practitioners are licensed and in good standing.
(d) A host entity is not required to use the services of a volunteer health practitioner even if the practitioner is registered with a registration system that indicates that the practitioner is licensed and in good standing.