(1) With respect to investigations of epidemic and communicable diseases, morbidity and mortality, cancer in connection with the statewide cancer registry, environmental and chronic diseases, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and rabies and mammal bites, the board has the authority to require reporting, without patient consent, of occurrences of those diseases and conditions by any person having knowledge of such to the state department of public health and environment and county, district, and municipal public health agencies, within their respective jurisdictions. Any required reports must contain the name, address, age, sex, and diagnosis and other relevant information as the board determines is necessary to protect the public health. The board shall set the manner, time period, and form in which the reports are to be made. The board may limit reporting for a specific disease or condition to a particular region or community or for a limited period of time.
When investigating diseases and conditions pursuant to subsection (1) of this section,authorized personnel of the state department of public health and environment and county, district, and municipal public health agencies, within their respective jurisdictions, may, without patient consent, inspect, have access to, and obtain information from pertinent patient medical, coroner, and laboratory records in the custody of all medical practitioners, veterinarians, coroners, institutions, hospitals, agencies, laboratories, and clinics, whether public or private, which are relevant and necessary to the investigation. Review and inspection of records shall be conducted at reasonable times and with such notice as is reasonable under the circumstances. Under no circumstances may personnel of the state department of public health and environment or county, district, or municipal public health agencies, within their local jurisdictions, have access pursuant to this section to any medical record that is not pertinent, relevant, or necessary to the public health investigation.
Any report or disclosure made in good faith pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) of thissection shall not constitute libel or slander or a violation of any right of privacy or privileged communication.
Reports and records resulting from the investigation of epidemic and communicablediseases, environmental and chronic diseases, reports of morbidity and mortality, reports of cancer in connection with the statewide cancer registry, and reports and records resulting from the investigation of sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and rabies and mammal bites held by the state department of public health and environment or county, district, or municipal public health agencies shall be strictly confidential. Such reports and records shall not be released, shared with any agency or institution, or made public, upon subpoena, search warrant, discovery proceedings, or otherwise, except under any of the following circumstances:
Release may be made of medical and epidemiological information in a manner suchthat no individual person can be identified.
Release may be made of medical and epidemiological information to the extent necessary for the treatment, control, investigation, and prevention of diseases and conditions dangerous to the public health; except that every effort shall be made to limit disclosure of personal identifying information to the minimal amount necessary to accomplish the public health purpose.
Release may be made to the person who is the subject of a medical record or reportwith written authorization from such person.
An officer or employee of the county, district, or municipal public health agency orthe state department of public health and environment may make a report of child abuse to agencies responsible for receiving or investigating reports of child abuse or neglect in accordance with the applicable provisions of the "Child Protection Act of 1987" set forth in part 3 of article 3 of title 19, C.R.S. However, in the event a report is made by the state department of public health and environment, only the following information shall be included in the report:
The name, address, and sex of the child;
The name and address of the person responsible for the child;
The name and address of the person who is alleged to be responsible for the suspected abuse or neglect, if known; and
The general nature of the child's injury.
(e) Medical and epidemiological information may be released to a peace officer as described in section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S., the federal bureau of investigation, a federal law enforcement agency as designated by the United States attorney for the district of Colorado, or any prosecutor to the extent necessary for any investigation or prosecution related to bioterrorism; except that reasonable efforts shall be made to limit disclosure of personal identifying information to the minimal amount necessary to accomplish the law enforcement purpose. For purposes of this paragraph (e), "bioterrorism" means the intentional use of, attempted use of, conspiracy to use, or solicitation to use microorganisms or toxins of biological origin or chemical or radiological agents to cause death or disease among humans or animals.
No officer or employee or agent of the state department of public health and environment or county, district, or municipal public health agency shall be examined in any judicial, executive, legislative, or other proceeding as to the existence or content of any individual's report obtained by such department pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) of this section without that individual's consent. However, this provision shall not apply to individuals who are under isolation or quarantine, school exclusion, or other restrictive action taken pursuant to section 25-1.5-102 (1)(c) or part 4, 5, 6, or 9 of article 4 of this title.
Any officer or employee or agent of the state department of public health and environment or a county, district, or municipal public health agency who violates this section by releasing or making public confidential public health reports or records or by otherwise breaching the confidentiality requirements of subsection (4) or (5) of this section commits a class 1 misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3501 (1), C.R.S.
Nothing in subsections (4) to (6) of this section applies to records and reports held bythe state or local department of health pursuant to part 4 of article 4 of this title.
Pursuant to section 25-1-113, any person may seek judicial review of a decision ofthe board or of the department affecting such person under this section.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the department shalladminister the provisions of this section regardless of an individual's race, religion, gender, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status.
Source: L. 91: Entire section added, p. 943, § 2, effective May 6. L. 93: (4)(d) added, p. 1609, § 3, effective June 6. L. 94: (2), IP(4), IP(4)(d), (5), and (6) amended, p. 2741, § 378, effective July 1. L. 2002: (6) amended, p. 1536, § 263, effective October 1. L. 2003: (4)(e) added, p. 1020, § 1, effective April 17; (5) amended, p. 708, § 34, effective July 1. L. 2004: (4)(e) amended, p. 1201, § 65, effective August 4. L. 2006, 1st Ex. Sess.: (9) added, p. 25, § 1, effective July 31. L. 2009: (1) and IP(4) amended, (SB 09-179), ch. 112, p. 474, § 19, effective April 9. L. 2010: (1), (2), IP(4), IP(4)(d), (5), and (6) amended, (HB 10-1422), ch. 419, p. 2090, § 84, effective August 11. L. 2016: (1), (2), and (7) amended, (SB 16-146), ch. 230, p. 921, § 20, effective July 1.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 1994 act amending subsection (2), the introductory portions to subsections (4) and (4)(d), and subsections (5) and (6), see section 1 of chapter 345, Session Laws of Colorado 1994. For the legislative declaration contained in the 2002 act amending this section, see section 1 of chapter 318, Session Laws of Colorado 2002.