(1) The state health officer or designee shall establish and maintain confidentiality procedures related to employee handling of all reports of cases and suspected cases, prohibiting disclosure of report information identifying an individual case or suspected cases except:
(a) To employees of the local health department, or other official agencies needing to know for the purpose of administering public health laws and these regulations.
(b) To health care providers, specific designees of health care facilities, laboratory directors, and others for the purpose of collecting additional information about a case or suspected case as required for disease prevention and control.
(2) The department shall require and maintain signed confidentiality agreements with all department employees, contractors, and others with access to identifying information related to a case or suspected case of a person diagnosed with a notifiable condition. These agreements will be renewed at least annually and include reference to criminal and civil penalties for violation of chapters
70.02 and
70.24 RCW and other administrative actions that may be taken by the department.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050, 43.70.545 and 70.104.030. 00-23-120, § 246-101-610, filed 11/22/00, effective 12/23/00.]