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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="18-904" title_number="18" title_name="Disease Prevention" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Catastrophic Health Emergency Disease Surveillance and Response Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “information” means medical, epidemiological, or other data concerning a specific individual or a group of individuals, regardless of whether the information is otherwise deemed confidential under Title 4 of this article or as otherwise provided under law.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>In order to maintain an effective disease surveillance system for detecting whether individuals have been exposed to a deadly agent, the Secretary may by order, directive, or regulation:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Require a health care provider or other person to report information to the Secretary or other public official on the following:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The presence of an individual or group of individuals with specified illnesses or symptoms;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Diagnostic and laboratory findings relating to diseases caused by deadly agents;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Statistical or utilization trends relating to potential disease outbreaks;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Information needed to conduct contact tracing for exposed individuals; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Other data deemed by the Secretary to have epidemiological significance in detecting possible catastrophic health emergencies;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Obtain access to information in the possession of a health care provider;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Require or authorize a health care provider to disclose information to an agency of the federal, State, or local government or another health care provider;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Require a health care provider or other person to submit reports to the Department containing information detailing the presence and use of deadly agents;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Obtain access to premises in order to secure environmental samples and otherwise investigate actual or potential exposures to deadly agents; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Require a veterinarian or other person to report data relating to specified illnesses or symptoms in animal populations.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Secretary, in acquiring information under subsection (b) of this section, shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Request and use nonidentifying information whenever possible; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Limit the use of confidential information to the extent necessary to detect and investigate actual or potential exposures to a deadly agent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Any information that the Secretary receives under subsection (b) of this section is confidential and may be used or disclosed only in accordance with this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the information requested in subsection (b) of this section is otherwise confidential under Title 4 of this article or as otherwise provided under law, the Secretary or person that receives the information may not redisclose the information except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person may redisclose the information to another health care provider or public official provided that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The health care provider or public agency to whom the information is disclosed will maintain the confidentiality of the disclosure; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Secretary determines the disclosure is necessary to treat, prevent, or reduce the spread of the disease or outbreak believed to have been caused by the exposure to a deadly agent.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
