Health care providers shall:
(1) Notify the local health department where the patient resides, or, in the event that patient residence cannot be determined, the local health department in which the health care providers practice, regarding:
(a) Cases or suspected cases of notifiable conditions specified as notifiable to local health departments in Table HC-1 of WAC
246-101-101;
(b) Cases of conditions designated as notifiable by the local health officer within that health officer's jurisdiction;
(c) Outbreaks or suspected outbreaks of disease including, but not limited to, suspected or confirmed outbreaks of varicella, influenza, viral meningitis, health care-associated infection suspected due to contaminated food products or devices, or environmentally related disease;
(d) Known barriers which might impede or prevent compliance with orders for infection control or quarantine; and
(e) Name, address, and other pertinent information for any case, suspected case or carrier refusing to comply with prescribed infection control measures.
(2) Notify the department of conditions designated as notifiable to the local health department when:
(a) A local health department is closed or representatives of the local health department are unavailable at the time a case or suspected case of an immediately notifiable condition occurs;
(b) A local health department is closed or representatives of the local health department are unavailable at the time an outbreak or suspected outbreak of communicable disease occurs.
(3) Notify the department of pesticide poisoning that is fatal, causes hospitalization or occurs in a cluster.
(4) Notify the department regarding cases of notifiable conditions specified as notifiable to the department in Table HC-1 of WAC
246-101-101.
(5) Assure that positive preliminary test results and positive final test results for notifiable conditions of specimens referred to laboratories outside of Washington for testing are correctly notified to the local health department of the patient's residence or the department as specified in Table Lab-1 of WAC
246-101-201. This requirement can be satisfied by:
(a) Arranging for the referral laboratory to notify either the local health department, the department, or both; or
(b) Forwarding the notification of the test result from the referral laboratory to the local health department, the department, or both.
(6) Cooperate with public health authorities during investigation of:
(a) Circumstances of a case or suspected case of a notifiable condition or other communicable disease; and
(b) An outbreak or suspected outbreak of disease.
(7) Provide adequate and understandable instruction in disease control measures to each patient who has been diagnosed with a case of a communicable disease, and to contacts who may have been exposed to the disease.
(8) Maintain responsibility for deciding date of discharge for hospitalized tuberculosis patients.
(9) Notify the local health officer of intended discharge of tuberculosis patients in order to assure appropriate outpatient arrangements are arranged.
(10) By July 1, 2011, when ordering a laboratory test for a notifiable condition as identified in Table HC-1 of WAC
246-101-101, providers must provide the laboratory with the following information for each test order:
(a) Patient name;
(b) Patient address including zip code;
(c) Patient date of birth;
(d) Patient sex;
(e) Name of the principal health care provider;
(f) Telephone number of the principal health care provider;
(g) Type of test requested;
(h) Type of specimen;
(i) Date of ordering specimen collection.
(1) Unless a health care facility has assumed the notification duties of the principal health care provider under subsection (4) of this section, the principal health care provider shall submit case reports:
(a) To the required public health authority under Table HC-1 of WAC 246-101-101 and the requirements of WAC 246-101-110 and 246-101-115, and this section;
(b) To the local health jurisdiction as required by the local health officer within that health officer's jurisdiction under WAC 246-101-505 (4)(d).
(2) A health care facility shall submit case reports:
(a) To the required public health authority under Table HC-1 of WAC 246-101-101 and the requirements of WAC 246-101-110 and 246-101-115, and this section that occur or are treated in their facilities.
(b) To the local health jurisdiction as required by the local health officer within that health officer's jurisdiction under WAC 246-101-505 (4)(d).
(3) This section does not require a health care provider or a health care facility to confirm the absence of cases of conditions listed in Table HC-1 of WAC 246-101-101.
(4) A health care facility may assume the notification requirements established in this chapter for a health care provider practicing within the health care facility.
(5) A health care facility shall not assume the notification requirements established in this chapter for a laboratory that is a component of the health care facility.
(6) Health care providers and health care facilities shall:
(a) Provide the laboratory with the following information for each test ordered for a notifiable condition:
(i) Patient's first and last name;
(ii) Patient's physical address including zip code;
(iii) Patient's date of birth;
(iv) Patient's sex;
(v) Patient's ethnicity, as required in WAC 246-101-011(4);
(vi) Patient's race, as required in WAC 246-101-011(5);
(vii) Patient's preferred language, as required in WAC 246-101-011(6);
(viii) For hepatitis B tests, pregnancy status (pregnant/not pregnant/unknown) of patients twelve to fifty years of age;
(ix) Patient's best contact telephone number;
(x) For blood lead level tests, medicaid status of patients less than seventy-two months of age;
(xi) Requesting health care provider's name;
(xii) Requesting health care provider's phone number;
(xiii) Address where patient received care;
(xiv) Specimen type;
(xv) Specimen collection date; and
(xvi) Condition being tested for.
(b) For specimens associated with a notifiable condition sent to a laboratory outside of Washington state, provide the laboratory with the information under (a) of this subsection, Table Lab-1 of WAC 246-101-201, 246-101-220, and 246-101-225.
If the presumptive or final test results from an out-of-state laboratory are consistent with Table Lab-1 of WAC 246-101-201, the health care provider or health care facility shall either:
(i) Confirm the laboratory submitted the laboratory report consistent with WAC 246-101-220 and 246-101-225; or
(ii) Submit the presumptive and final test results from the out-of-state laboratory with the case report according to the requirements of this chapter.
(c) Cooperate with public health authorities during investigation of:
(i) A case of a notifiable condition; and
(ii) An outbreak or suspected outbreak.
(d) Maintain an infection control program as described in WAC 246-320-176 for hospitals and WAC 246-330-176 for ambulatory surgical facilities;
(e) Provide adequate and understandable instruction in disease control measures to each patient who has been diagnosed with a case of a communicable disease, and to contacts who may have been exposed to the disease; and
(f) Notify the local health jurisdiction of:
(i) Known barriers that might impede or prevent compliance with disease control measures; and
(ii) Name, address, and other pertinent information for any case or carrier refusing to comply with disease control measures.
(7) Health care providers and health care facilities may provide health information, demographic information, or infectious or noninfectious condition information in addition to the information required under this chapter when the provider or facility determines that the additional information will aid the public health authority in protecting and improving the public's health through prevention and control of infectious and noninfectious conditions.
(8) When a health care provider or health care facility submits information under subsection (7) of this section, they shall submit the information under the requirements of WAC 246-101-110.