Texas Codes

Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section TX-LEGstatutes.capitol.texas.gov Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

Sec. 151.002. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this subtitle:

(1) "Board" means the Texas Medical Board.

(2) "Continuing threat to the public welfare" means a real danger to the health of a physician's patients or to the public from the acts or omissions of the physician caused through the physician's lack of competence, impaired status, or failure to care adequately for the physician's patients, as determined by:

(A) the board;

(B) a medical peer review committee in this state;

(D) a physician engaged in graduate medical education or training; or

(E) a medical student.

(3) "Disciplinary order" means an action taken under Section 164.001, 164.053, 164.058, or 164.101.

(4) "Doctor of osteopathic medicine" includes a doctor of osteopathy, an osteopath, an osteopathic physician, and an osteopathic surgeon.

(5) "Health care entity" means:

(A) a hospital licensed under Chapter 241 or 577, Health and Safety Code;

(B) an entity, including a health maintenance organization, group medical practice, nursing home, health science center, university medical school, hospital district, hospital authority, or other health care facility, that:

(i) provides or pays for medical care or health care services; and

(ii) follows a formal peer review process to further quality medical care or health care;

(C) a professional society or association of physicians, or a committee of such a society or association, that follows a formal peer review process to further quality medical care or health care;

(D) an organization established by a professional society or association of physicians, hospitals, or both, that:

(i) collects and verifies the authenticity of documents and other information concerning the qualifications, competence, or performance of licensed health care professionals; and

(ii) acts as a health care facility's agent under the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. Section 11101 et seq.); or

(E) a health care collaborative certified under Chapter 848, Insurance Code.

(6) "Legally authorized representative" of a patient means:

(A) a parent or legal guardian if the patient is a minor;

(B) a legal guardian if the patient has been adjudicated incompetent to manage the patient's personal affairs;

(D) an attorney ad litem appointed for the patient;

(E) a guardian ad litem appointed for the patient;

(F) a personal representative or statutory beneficiary if the patient is deceased; or

(G) an attorney retained by the patient or by another person listed by this subdivision.

(6-a) "License holder" means a person holding a license, permit, or certificate issued under this subtitle.

(6-b) "Maintenance of certification" means the satisfactory completion of periodic recertification requirements that are required for a physician to maintain certification after initial certification from:

(A) a medical specialty member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties;

(B) a medical specialty member board of the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists;

(D) any other certifying board that is recognized by the Texas Medical Board.

(7) "Medical peer review" or "professional review action" means the evaluation of medical and health care services, including evaluation of the qualifications and professional conduct of professional health care practitioners and of patient care provided by those practitioners. The term includes evaluation of the:

(A) merits of a complaint relating to a health care practitioner and a determination or recommendation regarding the complaint;

(B) accuracy of a diagnosis;

(D) report made to a medical peer review committee concerning activities under the committee's review authority;

(E) report made by a medical peer review committee to another committee or to the board as permitted or required by law; and

(F) implementation of the duties of a medical peer review committee by a member, agent, or employee of the committee.

(8) "Medical peer review committee" or "professional review body" means a committee of a health care entity, the governing board of a health care entity, or the medical staff of a health care entity, that operates under written bylaws approved by the policy-making body or the governing board of the health care entity and is authorized to evaluate the quality of medical and health care services or the competence of physicians, including evaluation of the performance of those functions specified by Section 85.204, Health and Safety Code. The term includes:

(A) an employee or agent of the committee, including an assistant, investigator, intervenor, attorney, and any other person or organization that serves the committee; and

(B) the governing body of a public hospital owned or operated by a governmental entity, the governing body of a hospital authority created under Chapter 262 or 264, Health and Safety Code, and the governing body of a hospital district created under Article IX, Texas Constitution, but only:

(i) in relation to the governing body's evaluation of the competence of a physician or the quality of medical and health care services provided by the public hospital, hospital authority, or hospital district; and

(ii) to the extent that the evaluation under Subparagraph (i) involves discussions or records that specifically or necessarily identify an individual patient or physician.

(9) "Medical records" means all records relating to the history, diagnosis, treatment, or prognosis of a patient.

(10) "Operation" means the application of surgery or the performance of surgical services.

(11) "Person" means an individual, unless the term is expressly made applicable to a partnership, association, or corporation.

(12) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in this state.

(13) "Practicing medicine" means the diagnosis, treatment, or offer to treat a mental or physical disease or disorder or a physical deformity or injury by any system or method, or the attempt to effect cures of those conditions, by a person who:

(A) publicly professes to be a physician or surgeon; or

(B) directly or indirectly charges money or other compensation for those services.

(14) "Surgery" includes:

(A) surgical services, procedures, and operations; and

(B) the procedures described in the surgery section of the common procedure coding system as adopted by the Health Care Financing Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(b) The terms "physician" and "surgeon" are synonyms. As used in this subtitle, the terms "practitioner" and "practitioner of medicine" include physicians and surgeons.

Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.021(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 202, Sec. 1, eff. June 10, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 269 (S.B. 419), Sec. 1.01, eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 7 (S.B. 7), Sec. 4.06, eff. September 28, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1180 (S.B. 949), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (S.B. 1148), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2018.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 126 cases (31 in the last 5 years), 2000–2026 · leading case: Simonson v. Keppard, 225 S.W.3d 868 (Tex. App. 2007).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Simonson v. Keppard, 225 S.W.3d 868 (Tex. App. 2007). · cites it 14× “401(g)(1)-(2) (definition if not testifying as a defendant) (Vernon 2005); TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. § 151.002(a)(12) (Vernon Supp.”

in Re Mem'l Hermann Hosp. Sys. Mem'l Hermann Physician Network Michael MacRis, M.D. Michael MacRis, M.D., P.A. & Keith Alexander, 464 S.W.3d 686 (Tex. 2015). · cites it 5× “Tex Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(B)(ii). 161 .”

In Re Living Centers of Texas, Inc., 175 S.W.3d 253 (Tex. 2005). · cites it 3× “Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(b). Moreover, it was suggested in Gulf Health Care v.”

Sanchez v. Texas State Bd. of Med. Examiners, 229 S.W.3d 498 (Tex. App. 2007). · cites it 3× “Sanchez was engaged in the practice of medicine, as that term is defined in Tex. Occ.Code § 151.002(a)(13).” 3 However, the ALJ did conclude that the Board could discipline Dr.”

In Re Higby, 325 S.W.3d 740 (Tex. App. 2010). · cites it 13× “" TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. §§ 151.002(a)(1), 160.”

Texas State Bd. of Examiners v. Texas Med. Ass'n, 511 S.W.3d 28 (Tex. 2017). “Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002 (a)(13). At oral argument, the Medical Association also argued that the term diagnosis has a "meaning unique to the code.”

Dallas Cnty. Med. Soc'y v. Ubiñas-Brache, 68 S.W.3d 31 (Tex. App. 2001). · cites it 3× “Laws 2325, 2325 (repealed 1999) (current version at Tex.Occ.Code Ann. § 151.002(a)(5)(C) (Vernon 2001)).”

Reed v. Granbury Hosp. Corp., 117 S.W.3d 404 (Tex. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “denied); see also Tex. Occ.Code Ann. § 151.002(a)(13) (Vernon 2003) (defining "practicing medicine" as the diagnosis, treatment, or offer to treat a physical disease, disorder, or injury by a licensed physician or surgeon); id.”

Bodin v. United States, 462 F.3d 481 (5th Cir. 2006). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Occ.Code §§ 151.002(a)(l 1), (13); 155.”

Loaisiga v. Cerda, 379 S.W.3d 248 (Tex. 2012). “The Occupations Code, in turn, defines “practicing medicine” as “the diagnosis, treatment, or offer to treat a mental or physical disease or disorder or a physical deformity or injury by any system or method, or the attempt to effect cures of those conditions by a person who .”

Texas Health Presbyterian Hosp. of Denton, Marc Wilson, M.D., & All. ob/gyn Specialists, Pllc D/B/A ob/gyn Specialists, Pllc v. D.A. & M.A., Individually & as Next Friends of A.A., a Minor, 569 S.W.3d 126 (Tex. 2018). “on behalf of a patient during the patient's care, treatment, or confinement"); Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(13) (defining "practicing medicine" to mean "the diagnosis, treatment, or offer to treat a mental or physical disease or disorder").”

Cobb v. Dallas Fort Worth Med. Ctr.-Grand Prairie, 48 S.W.3d 820 (Tex. App. 2001). · cites it 3× “Current text defining "person" is located at TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. § 151.002(11) (pamp.2001).”

Show all 126 citing cases →

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(11) — 1 case

Cobb v. Dallas Fort Worth Med. Ctr.-Grand Prairie, 48 S.W.3d 820 (Tex. App. 2001). “Current text defining "person" is located at TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. § 151.002(11) (pamp.2001).”

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(12) — 1 case

Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion (Tex. Att'y Gen. 2016).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(13) — 19 cases

Ruben Aleman, M.D. v. Texas Med. Bd., 573 S.W.3d 796 (Tex. 2019).

David Cardwell, M.D. v. Marianne McDonald, 356 S.W.3d 646 (Tex. App. 2011).

Ghazali v. Brown, 307 S.W.3d 499 (Tex. App. 2010).

Turner v. Franklin, 325 S.W.3d 771 (Tex. App. 2010).

Felton v. Lovett, 388 S.W.3d 656 (Tex. 2012).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(7) — 1 case

In Re Osteopathic Med. Ctr. of Texas, 16 S.W.3d 881 (Tex. App. 2000).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(8) — 1 case

Rose v. Garland Cmty. Hosp., 87 S.W.3d 188 (Tex. App. 2002).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(9) — 1 case

Jorge R. Guevara, M.D. v. Texas Med. Bd. (Tex. App. 2025).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a) — 2 cases

Bodin v. United States, 462 F.3d 481 (5th Cir. 2006). “See Tex. Occ.Code §§ 151.002(a)(l 1), (13); 155.”

Cnty. of El Paso v. Dorado, 180 S.W.3d 854 (Tex. App. 2006).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(1) — 1 case

In Re Higby, 325 S.W.3d 740 (Tex. App. 2010). “" TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. §§ 151.002(a)(1), 160.”

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(12) — 4 cases

Simonson v. Keppard, 225 S.W.3d 868 (Tex. App. 2007). “401(g)(1)-(2) (definition if not testifying as a defendant) (Vernon 2005); TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. § 151.002(a)(12) (Vernon Supp.”

In Re Tollison, 92 S.W.3d 632 (Tex. App. 2002).

Texas Ass'n of Acupuncture & Oriental Med. v. Texas Bd. of Chiropractic Examiners & Patricia Gilbert, Exec. Dir. in Her Off. Capacity (Tex. App. 2015).

Texas State Bd. of Veterinary Med. Examiners, & Nicole Oria, in Her Off. Capacity as Exec. Dir.// Ellen Jefferson, D.V.M. v. Ellen Jefferson, D.V.M.// Texas State Bd. of Veterinary Med. Examiners, & Nicole Oria, in Her Off. Capacity as Exec. Dir. (Tex. App. 2015).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(13) — 46 cases

Simonson v. Keppard, 225 S.W.3d 868 (Tex. App. 2007). “401(g)(1)-(2) (definition if not testifying as a defendant) (Vernon 2005); TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. § 151.002(a)(12) (Vernon Supp.”

Sanchez v. Texas State Bd. of Med. Examiners, 229 S.W.3d 498 (Tex. App. 2007). “Sanchez was engaged in the practice of medicine, as that term is defined in Tex. Occ.Code § 151.002(a)(13).” 3 However, the ALJ did conclude that the Board could discipline Dr.”

Reed v. Granbury Hosp. Corp., 117 S.W.3d 404 (Tex. App. 2003). “denied); see also Tex. Occ.Code Ann. § 151.002(a)(13) (Vernon 2003) (defining "practicing medicine" as the diagnosis, treatment, or offer to treat a physical disease, disorder, or injury by a licensed physician or surgeon); id.”

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(13)(A) — 4 cases

Green v. State, 137 S.W.3d 356 (Tex. App. 2004).

Christus Health Gulf Coast (As an Entity, D/B/A Christus St. Catherine Hosp., & Formerly D/B/A Christus St. Joseph Hosp.) v. Linda G. Carswell (Tex. App. 2014).

Robert Charles Lowry, M.D.// Cross Texas Med. Bd. v. Texas Med. Bd.// Cross-Appellee, Robert Charles Lowry, M.D. (Tex. App. 2021).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(13)(B) — 3 cases

Texas State Bd. of Examiners of Marriage & Fam. Therapists v. Texas Med. Ass'n, 458 S.W.3d 552 (Tex. App. 2014).

Robert Charles Lowry, M.D.// Cross Texas Med. Bd. v. Texas Med. Bd.// Cross-Appellee, Robert Charles Lowry, M.D. (Tex. App. 2021).

Texas State Bd. of Examiners of Marriage & Fam. Therapists Charles Horton in His Off. Capacity Sandra DeSobe in Her Off. Capacity, & Texas Ass'n of Marriage // Cross-Appellant,Texas Med. Ass'n v. Texas Med. Ass'n// Texas State Bd. of Examiners of Marriage & Fam. Therapists Charles Horton in His Off. Capacity Sandra DeSobe in Her Off. Capacity, & Texas Ass'n of Marriage (Tex. App. 2014).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(2) — 1 case

Robert W. Van Boven M.D., D.D.S. v. Scott Freshour, Margaret McNeese, Chris Palazola, Amy Swanholm, Timothy Webb, & Sherif Zaafran, M.D., in Their Off. Capacities as Officers of the Texas Med. Bd. (Tex. 2022).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(3) — 1 case

Texas Med. Bd. &, in Their Off. Capacities Only Irvin E. Zeitler, Jr., D.O. President, Marl Robinson Exec. Dir., Michael Arambula, M.D., Pharm.D. James Scott Holliday, D.O. & Carlos L. Gallardo, Members of the Bd. v. Benjamin Wiseman, M.D. (Tex. App. 2015).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5) — 2 cases

Bodin v. United States, 462 F.3d 481 (5th Cir. 2006). “See Tex. Occ.Code §§ 151.002(a)(l 1), (13); 155.”

In Re Higby, 325 S.W.3d 740 (Tex. App. 2010). “" TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. §§ 151.002(a)(1), 160.”

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(B)(ii) — 1 case

in Re Mem'l Hermann Hosp. Sys. Mem'l Hermann Physician Network Michael MacRis, M.D. Michael MacRis, M.D., P.A. & Keith Alexander, 464 S.W.3d 686 (Tex. 2015). “Tex Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(B)(ii). 161 .”

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(C) — 3 cases

Dallas Cnty. Med. Soc'y v. Ubiñas-Brache, 68 S.W.3d 31 (Tex. App. 2001). “Laws 2325, 2325 (repealed 1999) (current version at Tex.Occ.Code Ann. § 151.002(a)(5)(C) (Vernon 2001)).”

in Re Kenneth Higby, M.D., 414 S.W.3d 771 (Tex. App. 2013).

Robert Charles Lowry, M.D.// Cross Texas Med. Bd. v. Texas Med. Bd.// Cross-Appellee, Robert Charles Lowry, M.D. (Tex. App. 2021).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(E) — 1 case

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(b) — 2 cases

In Re Living Centers of Texas, Inc., 175 S.W.3d 253 (Tex. 2005). “Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(b). Moreover, it was suggested in Gulf Health Care v.”

in Re Benevis, LLC, Dentistry of Brownsville, P.C., & Kool Smiles, P.C. (Tex. App. 2015).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(7) — 9 cases

Dallas Cnty. Med. Soc'y v. Ubiñas-Brache, 68 S.W.3d 31 (Tex. App. 2001). “Laws 2325, 2325 (repealed 1999) (current version at Tex.Occ.Code Ann. § 151.002(a)(5)(C) (Vernon 2001)).”

In Re Univ. of Texas Health Ctr. at Tyler, 33 S.W.3d 822 (Tex. 2001).

Capital Senior Mgmt. 1, Inc. v. Texas Dep't of Human Servs., 132 S.W.3d 71 (Tex. App. 2004).

In Re Osteopathic Med. Ctr. of Texas, 16 S.W.3d 881 (Tex. App. 2000).

in Re Kenneth Higby, M.D., 414 S.W.3d 771 (Tex. App. 2013).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(8) — 6 cases

In Re Higby, 325 S.W.3d 740 (Tex. App. 2010). “" TEX. OCC.CODE ANN. §§ 151.002(a)(1), 160.”

Dallas Cnty. Med. Soc'y v. Ubiñas-Brache, 68 S.W.3d 31 (Tex. App. 2001). “Laws 2325, 2325 (repealed 1999) (current version at Tex.Occ.Code Ann. § 151.002(a)(5)(C) (Vernon 2001)).”

Martinez v. Abbott Labs. & Abbott Labs., Inc., 146 S.W.3d 260 (Tex. App. 2004).

In Re Univ. of Texas Health Ctr. at Tyler, 33 S.W.3d 822 (Tex. 2001).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(8)(B) — 1 case

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(9) — 1 case

Greg Abbott, Attorney Gen. of Texas v. Texas State Bd. of Pharmacy, 391 S.W.3d 253 (Tex. App. 2012).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(ll) — 1 case

Rose v. Garland Cmty. Hosp., 87 S.W.3d 188 (Tex. App. 2002).

— Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(b) — 2 cases

In Re Living Centers of Texas, Inc., 175 S.W.3d 253 (Tex. 2005). “Tex. Occ. Code § 151.002(a)(5)(b). Moreover, it was suggested in Gulf Health Care v.”

in Re Benevis, LLC, Dentistry of Brownsville, P.C., & Kool Smiles, P.C. (Tex. App. 2015).

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.