844

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 21

THIS SECTION DOES NOT RELIEVE AN ATTENDING PHYSICIAN OF
THE DUTY TO REPORT UNDER § 18-201 OF THIS SUBTITLE.

(D)  REPORT TO SECRETARY.

A HEALTH OFFICER SHALL INFORM THE SECRETARY OF EACH
LABORATORY EXAMINATION REPORT RECEIVED UNDER THIS SECTION.

(E)  COMMUNICATIONS WITH PATIENTS.

THE SECRETARY, A HEALTH OFFICER, OR AN AGENT OF THE
SECRETARY OR HEALTH OFFICER MAY DISCUSS A LABORATORY REPORT
WITH THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, BUT, IF THE PHYSICIAN IS
REASONABLY AVAILABLE, MAY COMMUNICATE WITH A PATIENT ONLY
WITH THE CONSENT OF THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN.

(F)  CONFIDENTIALITY OF LABORATORY REPORTS.

ALL LABORATORY REPORTS REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION ARE
CONFIDENTIAL AND ARE NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION.

(G)   INSPECTION OF LABORATORY RECORDS.

TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION, THE SECRETARY,
A HEALTH OFFICER, OR AN AGENT OF THE SECRETARY OR HEALTH
OFFICER MAY INSPECT PERTINENT LABORATORY RECORDS.

(H) LIST OF NAMES.

A DIRECTOR OF A MEDICAL LABORATORY, THE SECRETARY, A
HEALTH OFFICER, OR AN AGENT OF THE DIRECTOR, SECRETARY, OR
HEALTH OFFICER MAY NOT COMPILE OR DISTRIBUTE A REPRODUCIBLE
LIST OF ANY OF THE NAMES OF PATIENTS THAT ARE IN REPORTS
REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section is new language derived
without substantive change from former Article
43, § 31A(b) through (h).

In subsections (a) and (h) of this section,
reference to a director of a medical laboratory-
is substituted for the ambiguous reference to an
"individual in charge of a laboratory". This
substitution is made to conform to the
terminology used in Title 17 of this article and
reflects that the rules and regulations of the
Department impose the duty to file reports on the
director. See COMAR 10.10.01.01G.

In subsection (b)(1)(ii)l. of this section, the
phrase "that shows evidence of a disease required
to be reported" is substituted for the word
"performed", to clarify that reports contain
information only about the test results that show