The legislature finds the assurance of quality and cost-effectiveness in the delivery of health care can be assisted through the review of health care by health care providers. It also recognizes that some peer review decisions may be based on factors other than competence or professional conduct. Although it finds that peer review decisions based on matters unrelated to quality and utilization review need redress, it concludes that it is necessary to balance carefully the rights of the consuming public who benefit by peer review with the rights of those who are occasionally hurt by peer review decisions based on matters other than competence or professional conduct.

The legislature intends to foreclose federal antitrust actions to the extent Parker v. Brown, 317 U.S. 341 (1943), allows and to permit only those actions in RCW 7.71.020 and 7.71.030.