(a) The Department may not release information gathered pursuant to this Act unless (1) it is in a statistical form that does not identify the reporting entity, physician, and patient in any way, including by address; or (2) the release or transfer is to an Illinois local public health department or to a registry or health department of another state, and is of information concerning a person who is residing in that jurisdiction.(b) All data obtained directly from medical records of individual patients shall be for the confidential use of the Department and those entities authorized by the Department to view such records in order to carry out the purposes of this Act.(c) The identity of any person whose condition or treatment has been studied, or any facts which are likely to reveal the identity of such person, shall be confidential and shall not be revealed in any report or any other matter prepared, released or published. Researchers may, however, use the names of persons when requesting additional information for research studies approved by the Department; provided, however, that when a request for additional information is to be made, the Department shall first obtain authorization from the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative.(d) No liability shall attach to any hospital, physician or other facility submitting information pursuant to this Act based upon a claim that such hospital, physician or facility reported information which may be confidential.P.A. 89-381, eff. 8/18/1995.