Section 216-RICR-30-05-1.4 - Confidentiality ProvisionsA. All information concerning cases or suspected cases shall be held in confidence in accordance with the provisions of R.I. Gen Laws § 5-37-3 and all other applicable State and Federal statutes and Regulations.B. Pursuant to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, disclosures to RIDOH without individual authorization are permitted for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, including but not limited to public health surveillance, investigation, and intervention. 1.4.1Persons and Entities Responsible for Reporting DiseasesA. The following individuals and entities attending the case or suspected case are required to report the diseases listed in § 1.5.3 of this Part: 3. Certified registered nurse practitioners5. Hospitals (from both inpatient and outpatient settings)a. When a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of a case is made within a hospital, the facility administrator, or his/her designee (e.g., infection control practitioner), must ensure the reporting of the case in accordance with the procedures outlined in these Regulations.6. All other health care facilities, including but not limited to: organized ambulatory care facility, school-based health center, college/university-health center, freestanding emergency care facility, home care/home nursing care provider, hospice, birth center, nursing facility, rehabilitation hospital center, freestanding ambulatory surgical center, kidney disease treatment center, blood centers, and prison health services.a. When a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of a case is made within a licensed health care facility, the facility administrator or medical director, or his/her designee (e.g., infection control practitioner), must ensure the reporting of the case in accordance with the procedures outlined in these Regulations.7. Veterinarians who have knowledge of: a single case of rare and/or unusual veterinary diagnosis that has the potential to cause illness in humans, or knowledge of outbreaks of unusual zoonotic vectorborne diseases that can cause illness in humans;B. It is recommended that the following individuals and entities report the diseases listed in § 1.5.3 of this Part: 1. Certified school nurse-teachers who have knowledge of a single case of rare and/or unusual diagnoses, or knowledge of outbreaks of diseases;2. Dentists who have knowledge of a single case of rare and/or unusual diagnoses, or knowledge of outbreaks of disease;3. Other entities or persons (such as day care centers, drug treatment facilities, travel clinics, social service agencies that serve the homeless, camp counselors, funeral directors, transportation authority, assisted living facilities, community-based organizations that screen for infectious diseases, etc.) who have knowledge of a single case of rare and/or unusual diagnoses or knowledge of outbreaks of diseases.C. Exemptions 1. Reporting of the diseases listed in § 1.5.3 of this Part shall not be required in the following cases: a. In research protocols and all other situations where the person conducting the research or ordering the test is unaware of the identity of the person being tested.b. Anonymous HIV testing.216 R.I. Code R. 216-RICR-30-05-1.4
Amended effective 1/3/2022
Amended effective 1/15/2022