Evaluation of Public Health Reporting, Health Data Systems, and ConfidentialityPolicies and Practices in the States: A Policy Assessment

摘要

This report locates and describes state laws that govern reporting andconfidentiality of public and private health data. It also collects information from government and private officials in states to deterine what health data projects are ongoing or planned, and the impact of the state laws on these projects. Seven states were selected as case studies: California, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York, South Carolina, and Utah. The report finds that all states require that certain kinds of patient-level information be reported for public health purposes. The most frequently required categories include: (1) communicable disease; (2) vital statistics; (3) hospital discharge; (4) Alzheimer's Disease; (5) cancer; (6) birth defects; (7) head and spine injury; and (8) chemical exposure. Only three of these (communicable diseases, vital statistics, and hospital dicharge data) are required in all seven states. There is considerable variation in the confidentiality laws governing these public health databases and other records containing patient-level data.