{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-1-550.2","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-1-550.2","heading":"Birth defects surveillance program","body":"A. It is hereby found that the occurrence of a birth defect is\n\na tragedy for the child, the family and the community, and a matter\n\nof vital concern to the public health. A system to obtain more\n\ninformation about these conditions could result in their prevention,\n\ntreatment and management. Therefore, it is the intent of the\n\nOklahoma State Legislature, in enacting this section, to:\n\n1. Obtain information on the incidence and trends of birth\n\ndefects and poor reproductive outcomes;\n\n2. Obtain information to determine whether environmental\n\nhazards are associated with birth defects and poor reproductive\n\noutcomes;\n\n3. Obtain information as to other possible causes of birth\n\ndefects and poor reproductive outcomes; and\n\n4. Develop prevention strategies for reducing the incidence of\n\nbirth defects and poor reproductive outcomes.\n\nB. The Commissioner of Health may establish a system for the\n\ncollection and verification of information concerning birth defects\n\nand other poor reproductive outcomes. In establishing the system,\n\nthe Commissioner may require general acute care hospitals to\n\nmaintain a list of patients up to six (6) years of age who have been\n\ndiagnosed with birth defects incorporated within the newest version\n\nof the ICD diagnostic code categories or such other information as\n\nthe Commissioner deems appropriate, and all women discharged with a\n\ndiagnosis of stillbirth, miscarriage or poor reproductive outcomes.\n\nThe list shall be made available to the Commissioner upon request\n\nand shall be used solely for purposes provided in this section.\n\nC. The Commissioner may require general acute care hospitals,\n\nand other sources as deemed necessary, to make available to the\n\nState Department of Health the medical records of those patients who\n\nhave been diagnosed with birth defects or poor reproductive outcomes\n\nas required in this section.\n\nD. The Commissioner may require general acute care hospitals,\n\nand other sources as deemed necessary, to make electronic medical\n\nrecords of those patients who have been diagnosed with birth defects\n\nor poor reproductive outcomes, as required in this section,\n\navailable to the State Department of Health through remote computer\n\naccess, provided the hospital and/or other source has established\n\nremote computer access capabilities.\n\nE. The system shall be implemented statewide.\n\nF. The Commissioner may use the information collected pursuant\n\nto subsection B of this section and information available from other\n\nreporting systems and health providers to conduct studies to:\n\n1. Investigate the causes of birth defects and poor\n\nreproductive outcomes;\n\n2. Determine and evaluate measures designed to prevent their\n\noccurrences; and\n\n3. Where possible, ensure delivery of services for children\n\nidentified with birth defects. The Department's investigation of\n\npoor reproductive outcomes shall include geographic, time-related or\n\noccupational associations, as well as investigations of past\n\nexposure to potentially harmful substances.\n\nG. All information collected and analyzed pursuant to this\n\nsection shall be confidential insofar as the identity of the\n\nindividual patient is concerned and shall be used solely for the\n\npurpose provided in this section. Access to such information shall\n\nbe limited to the State Department of Health; provided, that the\n\nCommissioner may provide access to those scientists who are engaged\n\nin demographic, epidemiological or other similar studies related to\n\nhealth, and who agree, in writing as nonstate employees, to be\n\nidentified and coded while maintaining confidentiality as described\n\nherein.\n\nH. The Department shall maintain an accurate record of all\n\npersons who are given access to the information in the system. The\n\nrecord shall include:\n\n1. The name of the persons authorizing access;\n\n2. The name, title and organizational affiliation of persons\n\ngiven access;\n\n3. The dates of access;\ntate employees, to be\n\nidentified and coded while maintaining confidentiality as described\n\nherein.\n\nH. The Department shall maintain an accurate record of all\n\npersons who are given access to the information in the system. The\n\nrecord shall include:\n\n1. The name of the persons authorizing access;\n\n2. The name, title and organizational affiliation of persons\n\ngiven access;\n\n3. The dates of access;\n\n4. The specific purpose for which the information is to be\n\nused; and\n\n5. The results of the independent research.\n\nI. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the publishing of\n\nstatistical compilations relating to birth defects or poor\n\nreproductive outcomes which do not in any way identify individual\n\ncases or individual sources of information.\n\nJ. Any person who, in violation of a written agreement to\n\nmaintain confidentiality, willfully discloses any information\n\nprovided pursuant to this section shall be denied further access to\n\nany confidential information maintained by the Department. That\n\nperson shall also be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon\n\nconviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of Two Hundred\n\nDollars ($200.00) or imprisonment in the county jail for not more\n\nthan thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.\n\nK. The State Board of Health is authorized to adopt, amend and\n\nrepeal rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying out the\n\nprovisions of this section.","path":["OK Code","Title 63"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os63.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"a1e671c99d6cd0764bcade0c66ef65e3bf303355c367fd43b1e65631b55a4e08","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-1-550.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-1-550.3"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}