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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="18-338.2" title_number="18" title_name="Disease Prevention" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Specific Diseases">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Health care facility” means a facility or office where health or medical care is provided to patients by a health care provider, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A hospital as defined in § 19–301 of this article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A facility operated by the Department or a health officer; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The office of a health care provider.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Health care provider” means a physician, nurse, licensed direct–entry midwife, or designee of a health care facility.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“HIV” means the human immunodeficiency virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Prenatal care” means obstetric and gynecologic services performed as part of a prenatal care program, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Screening;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Physical examination;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Laboratory and diagnostic testing procedures and interpretation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Counseling.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Department, in consultation with stakeholders, shall adopt regulations establishing requirements for prenatal HIV testing.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A health care provider who provides prenatal medical care shall</text>
      <text>follow the requirements for prenatal HIV testing that are adopted by the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Department shall provide the requirements established under subsection (b) of this section to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Hospitals that offer obstetric services;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The American College of Nurse Midwives; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The Association of Independent Midwives of Maryland.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the record of an HIV test performed under this section is confidential and not discoverable or admissible in evidence in any criminal, civil, or administrative action.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Provided that the identity or any other information that could readily be associated with the identity of the pregnant woman is not disclosed, the results of an HIV test performed under this section may be introduced into evidence in any criminal, civil, or administrative action, including the adjudication of a workers’ compensation claim.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A health care provider may not be subject to disciplinary action by the professional licensing board that licenses the health care provider for following the requirements for prenatal HIV testing established by the Department.</text>
  </level>
</section>
