N.Y. Public Health Law § 576-c: Electronic reporting of disease and specimen submission

§ 576-c. Electronic reporting of disease and specimen submission. 1.

Whenever a clinical laboratory or blood bank is otherwise required by

this chapter to report evidence of a disease or health condition to the

commissioner or a local health officer, the laboratory director shall

report the test results and such data elements as are determined by the

commissioner to be necessary as authorized by law. All reports shall be

sent electronically to the department in a standards based electronic

format, using a network, communications protocol, clinical syntax and

vocabulary all as determined by the commissioner to be compatible with

national health information standards promulgated by the federal centers

for disease control and prevention and the department of health and

human services. Reports shall be submitted on a schedule determined by

the commissioner.

2. Clinical laboratories and blood banks may continue to submit

reports in paper copy to the commissioner and/or local health officer as

otherwise required by this chapter until the earlier of the date the

laboratory director receives notice that the laboratory has been

certified to report electronically or one year after the effective date

of this section. Thereafter, all reports shall be sent electronically to

the department.

3. In the event the system for electronic reporting is unavailable for

any reason, including lack of certification for electronic reporting,

clinical laboratories and blood banks shall make reports to the local

health officer of the county of the patient's residence and the

commissioner using an alternate mechanism determined by the

commissioner.

4. Whenever the commissioner or a local health officer determines that

supplemental testing is necessary to confirm evidence of a disease or

health condition otherwise required to be reported to the commissioner

or a local health officer pursuant to this chapter, or to further

identify the characteristics of a causative agent for reasons of public

health protection, the laboratory shall submit all or part of the

specimen or its derivatives with patient identifiers to the department

or its designee, or the local health officer or his or her designee, in

a manner and as directed by the commissioner.

5. The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations necessary to

implement the provisions of this section.