BILL REQ. #:  H-3847.1 

Read first time 01/14/2004.   Referred to Committee on Health Care.

     AN ACT Relating to cancer registry information; and amending RCW 70.54.240.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 70.54.240 and 1990 c 280 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department of health shall adopt rules as to which types of cancer shall be reported, who shall report, and the form and timing of the reports.
     (2) Every health care facility and independent clinical laboratory, and those physicians or others providing health care who diagnose or treat any patient with cancer who is not hospitalized within one month of diagnosis, will provide the contractor with the information required under subsection (1) of this section. The required information may be collected on a regional basis where such a system exists and forwarded to the contractor in a form suitable for the purposes of RCW 70.54.230 through 70.54.270. Such reporting arrangements shall be reduced to a written agreement between the contractor and any regional reporting agency which shall detail the manner, form, and timeliness of the reporting.
     (3) Prior to reporting the patient's information to the contractor under subsection (1) of this section, every person or entity required to report under this section shall provide each cancer patient with printed information describing the purpose of the cancer registry program; the collection, use, distribution, and confidentiality of the information; and other information that the department deems necessary.