Section 845.60  Reporting

a)         The Department requires the following persons and facilities to report all blood levels to the Department:

1)         Every physician who diagnoses, or health care provider, nurse, hospital administrator, or public health officer who has verified information of any person who has a level of lead in the blood in excess of the permissible limits, as defined in Section 845.20, is required to report pursuant to this Section, starting with a confirmed lead level of 10 mcg/dL.  (Section 7 of the Act)  If the analysis has been performed at the State laboratory, or the provider has ascertained that the clinical laboratory where specimens are processed electronically reports all blood lead level results to the Department, then duplicate reporting of elevated levels is not required.  Upon the request of a provider, the Department may generate a list of individual patients treated by that provider according to the claims records and the patients' lead test results. (Section 6.3(b) of the Act)

2)         Directors of clinical laboratories who have verified information of any positive blood lead test results, as defined in Section 845.20, are required to report the results to the Department within 48 hours after receipt of verification.  Negative blood lead test results shall be reported to the Department no later than 30 days following the last day of the month in which the test results are obtained by the laboratory.  The information included in the clinical laboratory report on positive and negative blood lead test results shall include the blood lead level; the child's name, address, date of birth, sex and race; date of test; test type; date of report; physician and/or clinic, with address; Medicaid identification number (if applicable); and the reporting agency.  Verification and test information on positive blood lead test results shall be submitted as a distinct report separate from the cumulated negative blood lead test information.  All reports submitted shall identify the report content as either negative or positive blood lead test results.

b)         Reports required pursuant to this Section shall be made to the Department, and all reported information, including the source of such information, received by the Department shall be considered confidential in nature.  Any information submitted to a laboratory at the request of the Department and in accordance with this Part shall be treated as confidential by the laboratory that receives the information on behalf of and as required by the Department.  The reports provided under this Section shall be confidential and subject to the provisions of the Medical Studies Act and the Communicable Disease Report Act.  It is the right, however, of any patient to obtain his or her own data.

c)         Reports required pursuant to this Section shall be submitted within 48 hours after receipt of verification.  Methods of submission can include written or electronic reporting as detailed in Appendix A.

d)         Reports of blood lead levels shall be on the form specified in Appendix A.