2022 Maryland Statutes
Health - General
Title 18 - Disease Prevention
Subtitle 3 - Specific Diseases
Part VI - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids)
Section 18-337 - Positive Test Results

Universal Citation:
MD. Health - General Code § 18-337 (2022)
Learn more This media-neutral citation is based on the American Association of Law Libraries Universal Citation Guide and is not necessarily the official citation.

    (a)    In this section, “health care provider” means a physician, a physician’s designee, or a designee of a health care facility licensed or otherwise authorized to provide health care services.

    (b)    If an individual informed of the individual’s HIV positive status under § 18-336 of this subtitle refuses to notify the individual’s sexual and needle-sharing partners, the individual’s physician may inform the local health officer and/or the individual’s sexual and needle-sharing partners of:

        (1)    The individual’s identity; and

        (2)    The circumstances giving rise to the notification.

    (c)    When the local health officer is notified, the health officer shall enforce the provisions of §§ 18-208 through 18-213.1 of this title:

        (1)    Within a reasonable time; and

        (2)    To the extent feasible.

    (d)    Each local health officer shall refer the infected individual and any known sexual or needle-sharing partners of the individual to appropriate services for the care, support, and treatment for HIV infected individuals.

    (e)    A physician acting in good faith to provide notification in accordance with this section may not be held liable in any cause of action related to a breach of patient confidentiality.

    (f)    A physician acting in good faith may not be held liable in any cause of action for choosing not to disclose information related to a positive test result for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus to an individual’s sexual and needle-sharing partners.

    (g)    A hospital or any other health care provider acting in good faith pursuant to a physician’s order to perform or interpret a test for the presence of HIV may not be held liable in any cause of action related to:

        (1)    A breach of patient confidentiality; or

        (2)    A physician’s decision to disclose or not to disclose information related to a positive test result to a local health officer and/or an individual’s sexual and needle-sharing partners.

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