New Mexico Statutes Chapter 41. Torts § 41-5-16. Application procedure

A. Upon receipt of an application for review, the New Mexico medical review commission's director or the director's designee shall cause to be served a true copy of the application on the independent providers against which claims are asserted. Service shall be effected pursuant to New Mexico law. If the independent provider involved chooses to retain legal counsel, the independent provider's attorney shall informally enter an appearance with the director.

B. The independent provider shall answer the application for review and in addition shall submit a statement authorizing the panel to obtain access to all medical and hospital records and information pertaining to the matter giving rise to the application and, for the purposes of its consideration of the matter only, waiving any claim of privilege as to the contents of those records. Nothing in that statement shall in any way be construed as waiving that privilege for any other purpose or in any other context, in or out of court.

C. In instances where applications are received employing the theory of respondeat superior or some other derivative theory of recovery, the director shall forward such applications to the state professional societies, associations or licensing boards of both the individual independent provider whose alleged malpractice caused the application to be filed and the independent provider named a respondent as employer, master or principal.