2011 Oregon Revised Statutes
ORS Volume 11, Chapters 431 - 470
ORS Chapter 432
432.060 Confidentiality and inadmissibility of information obtained in connection with epidemiologic morbidity and mortality studies; exceptions; nonliability of informants.

(1)(a) All information procured by or furnished to the Oregon Health Authority, any federal public health agency or any nonprofit health agency that is exempt from taxation under the laws of this state or procured by any agency, organization or person acting jointly with or at the request of the authority, in connection with special epidemiologic morbidity and mortality studies, is confidential, nondiscoverable and inadmissible in any proceeding and is exempt from disclosure under ORS 192.410 to 192.505. A person communicating information in connection with special epidemiologic morbidity and mortality studies pursuant to this subsection may not be examined about the communication or the information.

(b) Nothing in this subsection affects the confidentiality or admissibility into evidence of data not otherwise confidential or privileged that is obtained from sources other than the authority.

(c) As used in this subsection, information includes, but is not limited to, written reports, notes, records, statements and studies.

(2) The furnishing of morbidity and mortality information to the authority or health agency, to its authorized representatives or to any other agency, organization or person cooperating in a special epidemiologic study, does not subject any hospital, sanitarium, rest home, nursing home or other organization or person furnishing such information to an action for damages.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not prevent the authority or a health agency from publishing:

(a) Statistical compilations and reports relating to special epidemiologic morbidity and mortality studies, if such compilations and reports do not identify individual cases and sources of information.

(b) General morbidity and mortality studies customarily and continuously conducted by the authority or health agency that do not involve patient identification.

(4) Nothing in this section prevents disposition of records described in subsection (1) of this section pursuant to ORS 192.105. [1961 c.191 2,3; 1983 c.709 31; 2005 c.342 1; 2009 c.595 610]