Public Health Question

Presented By
Monmouth County Regional Health Commission No. 1

June 26, 2018

 What confidential information are local health departments allowed to review?

Answer:

MCRHC is a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPAA) compliant agency.

What is shared? PHI encompasses patient identifiers, such as name, date of birth, illness diagnosis, prognosis, imaging, diagnostics and laboratory information. Access to and sharing of this information among HIPPAA agencies impacts the long term wellbeing of all individuals within Monmouth County and beyond.

Who is it shared with? Health agencies, hospitals, physician offices, long term care facilities, assisted living facilities and governmental health organizations.

All Protected Health Information (PHI) is listed below is kept in strict confidence and is shared on a need to know basis.

*vaccination history/current immunizations - public and private daycares, preschools and schools are audited by the health department for vaccination compliance. In order to protect their populations. Publlc Health agencies monitor and survey child and adult vaccine history in conjunction with the state

*communicable disease investigations - vital to the investigation and management of diseases and outbreaks

* lead investigations - to prevent , monitor and survey lead cases and to treat high elevations in children and pregnant womae

* TB direct observational therapies (DOT) - The health department works to prevent and monitor tuberculosis cases. TB is easily transmittable. Treatments can last 6 months to 1 year.

* health assessment - patient data collection that is monitored, surveyed toward disease prevention

* Screening data - data or diagnostic tools /results to determine active infection or disease to monitor, survey and prevent their spread. This includes laboratory data, clinical assessments and educational screening

* Community Education - providing patient education from health data collected on specific diseases works to ward keeping the community safe and free of disease