Communicable Diseases Reporting
Provider Type
- Physicians
- Hospitals
- Participating Physician Groups (PPG)
- Ancillary
To protect the public from the spread of infectious, contagious and communicable diseases, every health care provider knowing of or in attendance on a case or suspected case of any of the communicable diseases and conditions specified in Title 17, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Section 2500, are required by law to notify the local health department (LHD). A health care provider having knowledge of a case of an unusual disease not listed must also promptly report the facts to the local health officer.
The term health care provider includes physicians and surgeons, veterinarians, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse midwives, school nurses, infection control practitioners, medical examiners, coroners, and dentists.
Notification
Providers must report cases of communicable diseases using the Confidential Morbidity Report (PDF) . They must send a completed copy of the report to the Communicable Disease Control division of the County Health Department. The time frame for reporting suspected cases of communicable diseases varies according to disease and ranges from immediate reporting by telephone or fax to seven days by mail.
The notification must include the following, if known:
- Name of the disease or condition being reported
- Date of onset
- Date of diagnosis
- Name, address, telephone number, occupation, race or ethnic group, Social Security number (SSN), age, sex, and date of birth for the case or suspected case
- Date of death, if death has occurred
- Name, address and telephone number of the person making the report
HIV Reporting Requirements for Laboratories
The following document applies only to Ancillary providers.
HIV is a reportable disease under California state law. Laboratories are required by law to submit specified information using the complete name of the patient for each confirmed HIV test to the local health officer for the local jurisdiction where the health care provider is located and the requesting provider within seven calendar days.
Laboratories must report confirmed HIV cases by either one of the following:
- Courier service, U.S. Postal Service Express, registered mail or other traceable mail
- Person-to-person transfer with the local health officer or their designee
Laboratories may not submit reports containing personal information by electronic fax, electronic mail or non-traceable mail. Laboratories should contact the local county health department for information and reporting forms.
A confirmed HIV test is a test used to monitor HIV, including HIV nucleic acid detection (such as viral load), or any test verifying one of the following:
- The presence of HIV
- A component of HIV
- Antibodies to, or antigens of, HIV, including:
- HIV antibody (HIV-Ab) test
- HIV p-24 antigen test
- Western blot (Wb) test
- Immunofluorescence antibody test
Testing laboratories generate a report that consists of the following information:
- Complete name of patient
- Patient date-of-birth (2-digit month, 2-digit day, 4-digit year)
- Patient gender (male, female, transgender male-to-female, or transgender female-to-male)
- Name, address and telephone number of the health care provider and the facility that submitted the biological specimen to the laboratory, if different
- Name, address the telephone number of the laboratory
- Laboratory report number as assigned by the laboratory
- Laboratory results of the test performed
- Date biological specimen was tested in the laboratory
- Laboratory Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) number
Laboratories may not submit reports to the local health department for confirmed HIV tests for patients of an alternative testing site, other anonymous HIV testing programs, blood banks, plasma centers, or for participants of a blinded or unlinked seroprevalence study.
HIV Reporting Requirement for Providers
HIV is a reportable disease under California state law. Health care providers are required by law to submit specified information using the complete name of the patient for each confirmed HIV test to the local health officer within seven calendar days.
Providers must complete an HIV case report for each confirmed HIV test not previously reported and send it to the local health officer for the jurisdiction where the health care provider facility is located.
Providers must report confirmed HIV cases by either one of the following:
- Courier service, U.S. Postal Service Express, or registered mail or other traceable mail
- Person-to-person transfer with the local health officer or their designee
Providers may not submit reports containing personal information by electronic fax, electronic mail or non-traceable mail.
A confirmed HIV test is a test used to monitor HIV, including HIV nucleic acid detection (such as viral load), or any test verifying one of the following:
- The presence of HIV
- A component of HIV
- Antibodies to, or antigens of, HIV, including:
- HIV antibody (HIV-Ab) test
- HIV p-24 antigen test
- Western (Wb) blot test
- Immunofluorescence antibody test
A health care provider that orders a laboratory test used to identify HIV, a component of HIV, or antibodies to or antigens of HIV must submit to the laboratory a pre-printed laboratory requisition form that includes all documentation specified in 42 CFR 493.1105 (57 FR 7162, Feb. 28, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 5229, Jan. 19, 1993) and adopted in Business and Professions Code, Section 1220.
The person authorized to order the laboratory test must include the following when submitting information to the laboratory:
- Complete name of patient
- Patient date-of-birth (2-digit month, 2-digit day, 4-digit year)
- Patient gender (male, female, transgender male-to-female, or transgender female-to-male)
- Date biological specimen was collected
- Name, address and telephone number of the health care provider and the facility where services were rendered, if different
Most laboratories are also required to report confirmed tests to the local health office; however, this does not relieve the provider's reporting responsibility. Laboratories may not submit reports to the local health department for confirmed HIV tests for patients of an alternative testing sites other anonymous HIV testing programs, blood banks, plasma centers, or for participants of a blinded or unlinked seroprevalence study.
Reporting Requirements for Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections
When a provider reports a case of hepatitis or a sexually transmitted infection (STI), the report must include the following information, if known:
- Hepatitis information including the type of hepatitis, type-specific laboratory findings, and sources of exposure
- STI information on the specific causative agent, syphilis-specific laboratory findings, and any complications of gonorrhea or Chlamydia infections
Tuberculosis Reporting and Care Management
Tuberculosis (TB) reporting is done immediately by telephone or fax to expedite the process. The Confidential Morbidity Report form (PDF) should be used to notify the local health department's Communicable Disease Reporting Divisions. When reporting a case of TB, the health care provider must provide information on the diagnostic status of the case or suspected case; bacteriological, radiological and tuberculin skin test findings; information regarding the risk of transmission of the disease to other persons; and a list of the anti-tuberculosis medications administered to the member. In addition, a report must be made any time a person ceases treatment for TB, including when the member fails to keep an appointment, relocates without transferring care, or discontinues care. Further, the local health officer may require additional reports from the health care provider.
The health care provider who treats a member with active TB must maintain written documentation of the member's adherence to their individual treatment plan. Reports to the local health officer must include the individual treatment plan, which indicates the name of the medical provider who specifically agreed to provide medical care, the address of the member, and any other pertinent clinical or laboratory information that the local health officer may require.
In addition, each health care provider who treats a member for active TB must examine or arrange for examination of all persons in the same household who have had contact with the member. The health care provider must refer those contacts to the local health officer for examination, and must promptly notify the local health officer of the referral. The local health officer may impose further requirements for examinations or reporting.
Prior to discharge from an inpatient hospital, health care providers must report any cases of known or suspected TB to the local health officer and receive approval for discharge. The local health officer must review and approve the individual treatment plan prior to discharge.
Tuberculosis Care Management
When requested by the primary care physician (PCP) or local county health TB control officer, the Care Management Department provides assistance with coordination of the member's care. All cases referred to the Care Management Department are managed by gathering demographic and medical information. The care managers analyze the data, assess the member's needs, identify potential interventions, and follow the interventions with the member, family and health care team, within the limits of confidentiality. Following the evaluation, the care manager notifies the provider about the member's eligibility for the Care Management Program.