2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 19a-25. (Formerly Sec. 19-6a). Confidentiality of records procured by the Department of Public Health or directors of health of towns, cities or boroughs.
Sec. 19a-25. (Formerly Sec. 19-6a). Confidentiality of records procured by the
Department of Public Health or directors of health of towns, cities or boroughs.
All information, records of interviews, written reports, statements, notes, memoranda
or other data, including personal data as defined in subdivision (9) of section 4-190,
procured by the Department of Public Health or by staff committees of facilities accredited by the Department of Public Health in connection with studies of morbidity and
mortality conducted by the Department of Public Health or such staff committees, or
carried on by said department or such staff committees jointly with other persons, agencies or organizations, or procured by the directors of health of towns, cities or boroughs
or the Department of Public Health pursuant to section 19a-215, or procured by such
other persons, agencies or organizations, for the purpose of reducing the morbidity or
mortality from any cause or condition, shall be confidential and shall be used solely for
the purposes of medical or scientific research and, for information obtained pursuant to
section 19a-215, disease prevention and control by the local director of health and the
Department of Public Health. Such information, records, reports, statements, notes,
memoranda or other data shall not be admissible as evidence in any action of any kind
in any court or before any other tribunal, board, agency or person, nor shall it be exhibited
or its contents disclosed in any way, in whole or in part, by any officer or representative
of the Department of Public Health or of any such facility, by any person participating
in such a research project or by any other person, except as may be necessary for the
purpose of furthering the research project to which it relates. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 55, the Department of Public Health may exchange personal data for
the purpose of medical or scientific research, with any other governmental agency or
private research organization; provided such state, governmental agency or private research organization shall not further disclose such personal data. The Commissioner of
Public Health shall adopt regulations consistent with the purposes of this section to
establish the procedures to ensure the confidentiality of such disclosures. The furnishing
of such information to the Department of Public Health or its authorized representative,
or to any other agency cooperating in such a research project, shall not subject any
person, hospital, sanitarium, rest home, nursing home or other person or agency furnishing such information to any action for damages or other relief because of such disclosure.
This section shall not be deemed to affect disclosure of regular hospital and medical
records made in the course of the regular notation of the care and treatment of any
patient, but only records or notations by such staff committees pursuant to their work.
History: 1971 act made provisions applicable to data procured by staff committees of accredited facilities, excluded studies of "maternal and perinatal" morbidity and rewrote provision re effect of provisions on disclosure of regular hospital and medical records; P.A. 77-346 specifically included as confidential records "personal data as defined in subsection (i) of section 4-190" and added provision re exchange of personal data for research purposes between health department and other agencies and organizations; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner and department of health with commissioner and department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-6a transferred to Sec. 19a-25 in 1983; P.A. 84-380 made technical change to reflect numbering of Subdivs. in Sec. 4-190; P.A. 93-291 applied provisions to records and information procured by the department or local health directors concerning communicable diseases; P.A. 93-381 and P.A. 93-435 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Annotation to former section 19-6a:
Statute is designed not to disqualify a physician from testifying but to prevent him from disclosing confidential matters. 180 C. 314, 324-326.
Annotations to present section:
Statute is designed not to disqualify a physician from testifying but to prevent him from disclosing confidential matters. 180 C. 314, 324-326. The privilege afforded by section is limited to designated materials of a hospital staff committee generated primarily for the purpose of studying morbidity and mortality, undertaken specifically for the purpose of reducing the incidence of patient deaths. 251 C. 790.
Cited. 40 CS 188, 193.
Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Connecticut may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
