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The goal of HIPAA is to protect the rights of Patient Health Information. It is however required by North Carolina law that some Communicable Disease information be reported to the local Health Director. This is allowed when state law is more strengent than HIPAA.
According to North Carolina General Statute GS130A-145:
"Physician must make report to local health director when the physician has reason to suspect that a person about whom the physician has been consulted professionally has a reportable communicable disease or condition. Reportable communicalbe diseases are determined by rule of the Commission for Health Services."
Therefore, physicans must notify the Health Director when the information is used for public health surveillance, investigation or intervention provided that the diagnosis is a reportable communicable disease. Please Click Here for a list of reportable communicable diseases and the time frame for reporting the disease to the Health Department.
The Rutherford Polk McDowell District Health Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services.
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