Maryland Health - General Section 18-207

      (a)      (1)      In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

            (2)      "HIV/AIDS case report" means an abstract of the medical record of a patient diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome which contains:

                  (i)      Reasonably obtained patient demographic information, including risk factors;

                  (ii)      Relevant information on the:

                        1.      Initial diagnosis;

                        2.      Treatment and referral; and

                        3.      Clinical condition;

                  (iii)      Facility and other provider identification information; and

                  (iv)      For reports of HIV, the unique identifier of the patient, but not the patient's name.

            (3)      "Report" means:

                  (i)      A laboratory examination report for HIV or CD 4+ count as required by § 18-205 of this subtitle;

                  (ii)      A physician report for AIDS as required by § 18-201.1 of this subtitle; or

                  (iii)      An HIV/AIDS case report.

            (4)      "Designated anonymous HIV test site" means an HIV counseling and testing site approved by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as a site where a patient may have an anonymous HIV test.

      (b)      (1)      Except for a designated anonymous HIV test site, a facility or office that orders a test for HIV and receives a test result that documents the presence of HIV as defined by the CDC laboratory criteria shall, upon the Secretary's request, make available to the Secretary, or an agent of the Secretary, the information necessary to compile an HIV/AIDS case report.

            (2)      A report or information assembled or obtained under this section shall be confidential and subject to Title 4, Subtitle 1 of this article.

                  (i)      A report in this section is not a medical record under Title 4, Subtitle 3 of this article, but is subject to the confidentiality requirements of Title 4, Subtitle 1 of this article.

                  (ii)      This subsection does not apply to a disclosure by the Secretary to another governmental agency performing its lawful duties pursuant to State or federal law where the Secretary determines that the agency to whom the information is disclosed will maintain the confidentiality of the disclosure.

      (c)      The director of a medical laboratory in which serum samples are tested for human immunodeficiency virus may not disclose, directly or indirectly, the identity of any individual tested for human immunodeficiency virus in any report submitted to the Department or the health officer for the county where the laboratory is located.