2011 Connecticut Code
Title 19a Public Health and Well-Being
Chapter 368e Municipal Health Authorities
Sec. 19a-215. (Formerly Sec. 19-89). Reports of diseases on the commissioner's list of reportable diseases and laboratory findings. Confidentiality. Fines.

      Sec. 19a-215. (Formerly Sec. 19-89). Reports of diseases on the commissioner's list of reportable diseases and laboratory findings. Confidentiality. Fines. (a) For the purposes of this section:

      (1) "Commissioner's list of reportable diseases and laboratory findings" means the list developed pursuant to section 19a-2a.

      (2) "Confidential" means confidentiality of information pursuant to section 19a-25.

      (3) "Health care provider" means a person who has direct or supervisory responsibility for the delivery of health care or medical services, including licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, medical examiners and administrators, superintendents and managers of health care facilities.

      (b) A health care provider shall report each case occurring in such provider's practice, of any disease on the commissioner's list of reportable diseases and laboratory findings to the director of health of the town, city or borough in which such case resides and to the Department of Public Health,no later than twelve hours after such provider's recognition of the disease. Such reports shall be in writing, by telephone or in an electronic format approved by the commissioner. Such reports of disease shall be confidential and not open to public inspection except as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

      (c) When a local director of health or his authorized agent or the Department of Public Health receives a report of a disease or laboratory finding on the commissioner's list of reportable disease and laboratory findings, either may contact first the reporting health care provider and then the person with the reportable finding to obtain such information as may be necessary to lead to the effective control of further spread of such disease. In the case of reportable communicable diseases and laboratory findings, this information may include obtaining the identification of persons who may be the source or subsequent contacts of such infection.

      (d) All personal information obtained from disease prevention and control investigations as performed in subsection (c) of this section including the health care provider's name and the identity of the reported case of disease and suspected source persons and contacts shall not be divulged to anyone and shall be held strictly confidential pursuant to section 19a-25, by the local director of health and his authorized agent and by the Department of Public Health.

      (e) Any person who violates any reporting or confidentiality provision of this section shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars. No provision of this section shall be deemed to supersede section 19a-584.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3866; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 93-291, S. 2; 93-381, S. 9, 39; 93-435, S. 59, 95; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 00-27, S. 18, 24; P.A. 08-184, S. 3.)

      History: P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-89 transferred to Sec. 19a-215 in 1983; P.A. 93-291 divided section into Subsecs., inserted new provisions as Subsec. (a) defining "commissioner's list of reportable diseases and laboratory findings", "confidential" and "health care provider", amended Subsec. (b) to remove list of diseases and make technical changes, added Subsec. (c) re procedures for department and local directors after receipt of reports, amended Subsec. (d) to conform confidentiality provisions and remove obsolete language and amended Subsec. (e) to raise fine from $25 to $500 and to specify that section does not supersede Sec. 19a-584; P.A. 93-381 and P.A. 93-435 replaced department of health services with department 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; P.A. 00-27 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective May 1, 2000; P.A. 08-184 amended Subsec. (b) by providing that required reports may be in an electronic format approved by commissioner and by making technical changes.

      See Sec. 19a-221 re quarantine procedure.