WAC 246-101-505   Duties of the local health officer or the local health department.  (1) Local health officers or the local health department shall:

     (a) Review and determine appropriate action for:

     (i) Each reported case or suspected case of a notifiable condition;

     (ii) Any disease or condition considered a threat to public health; and

     (iii) Each reported outbreak or suspected outbreak of disease, requesting assistance from the department in carrying out investigations when necessary.

     (b) Establish a system at the local health department for maintaining confidentiality of written records and written and telephoned notifiable conditions case reports;

     (c) Notify health care providers, laboratories, and health care facilities within the jurisdiction of the health department of requirements in this chapter;

     (d) Notify the department of cases of any condition notifiable to the local health department (except animal bites) upon completion of the case investigation;

     (e) Distribute appropriate notification forms to persons responsible for reporting;

     (f) Notify the principal health care provider, if possible, prior to initiating a case investigation by the local health department;

     (g) Carry out the HIV partner notification requirements of WAC 246-100-072;

     (h) Allow laboratories to contact the health care provider ordering the diagnostic test before initiating patient contact if requested and the delay is unlikely to jeopardize public health;

     (i) Conduct investigations and institute control measures in accordance with chapter 246-100 WAC.

     (2) The local health department may adopt alternate arrangements for meeting the reporting requirements under this chapter through cooperative agreement between the local health department and any health care provider, laboratory or health care facility;

     (3) Each local health officer has the authority to:

     (a) Carry out additional steps determined to be necessary to verify a diagnosis reported by a health care provider;

     (b) Require any person suspected of having a notifiable condition to submit to examinations required to determine the presence of the condition;

     (c) Investigate any case or suspected case of a reportable disease or condition or other illness, communicable or otherwise, if deemed necessary;

     (d) Require the notification of additional conditions of public health importance occurring within the jurisdiction of the local health officer.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. 11-02-065, § 246-101-505, filed 1/4/11, effective 2/4/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.24.130 and 70.24.380. 05-11-110, § 246-101-505, filed 5/18/05, effective 6/18/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050 (2)(d), 70.05.050 and 70.05.060. 03-06-003, § 246-101-505, filed 2/19/03, effective 2/19/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. 00-23-120, § 246-101-505, filed 11/22/00, effective 12/23/00.]