The Department must set up a statewide infection surveillance and reporting system, and hospitals must report specified infection data under it.
(a)By December 31, 2011, the Department, in consultation with the State HAI Advisory Group and in accordance with rules adopted by the Commission pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, shall establish a statewide surveillance and reporting system for specified health care-associated infections. (b)The Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement the statewide surveillance and reporting system established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. The rules shall specify uniform standards for surveillance and reporting of specified health care-associated infections under the statewide surveillance and reporting system. The uniform standards shall include at least all of the following: (1)A preference for electronic surveillance of specified health care-associated infections to the greatest extent practicable. (2)A requirement for electronic reporting of specified health care-associated infections. (c)Each hospital, as defined in G.S. 131E-76(3), is subject to the statewide surveillance and reporting system established in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and shall be responsible for health care-associated infections surveillance and reporting of specified health care-associated infections data to the Department through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Care Safety Network. (d)The Department shall release to the public aggregated and provider-specific data on health care-associated infections that does not contain social security numbers or other personal identifying information only if it deems the release of this data to be reliable and necessary to protect the public’s health. (e)Repealed by Session Laws 2013-360, s. 12A.8(d), effective July 1, 2013. Reserved for future codification purposes. History: History.2011-386, ss. 1, 2; 2013-360, s. 12A.8(d).