141A.9 - CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION. - Iowa Statutes

141A.9 CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION. 1. Any information, including reports and records, obtained, submitted, and maintained pursuant to this chapter is strictly confidential medical information. The information shall not be released, shared with an agency or institution, or made public upon subpoena, search warrant, discovery proceedings, or by any other means except as provided in this chapter. A person shall not be compelled to disclose the identity of any person upon whom an HIV-related test is performed, or the results of the test in a manner which permits identification of the subject of the test, except to persons entitled to that information under this chapter. 2. HIV-related test results shall be made available for release to the following individuals or under the following circumstances: a. To the subject of the test or the subject's legal guardian subject to the provisions of section 141A.7, subsection 3, when applicable. b. To any person who secures a written release of test results executed by the subject of the test or the subject's legal guardian. c. To an authorized agent or employee of a health facility or health care provider, if the health facility or health care provider ordered or participated in the testing or is otherwise authorized to obtain the test results, the agent or employee provides patient care or handles or processes samples, and the agent or employee has a medical need to know such information. d. To a health care provider providing care to the subject of the test when knowledge of the test results is necessary to provide care or treatment. e. To the department in accordance with reporting requirements for an HIV-related condition. f. To a health facility or health care provider which procures, processes, distributes, or uses a human body part from a deceased person with respect to medical information regarding that person, or semen provided prior to July 1, 1988, for the purpose of artificial insemination. g. To a person allowed access to an HIV-related test result by a court order which is issued in compliance with the following provisions: (1) A court has found that the person seeking the test results has demonstrated a compelling need for the test results which need cannot be accommodated by other means. In assessing compelling need, the court shall weigh the need for disclosure against the privacy interest of the test subject and the public interest which may be disserved by disclosure due to its deterrent effect on future testing or due to its effect in leading to discrimination. (2) Pleadings pertaining to disclosure of test results shall substitute a pseudonym for the true name of the subject of the test. The disclosure to the parties of the subject's true name shall be communicated confidentially in documents not filed with the court. (3) Before granting an order, the court shall provide the person whose test results are in question with notice and a reasonable opportunity to participate in the proceedings if the person is not already a party. (4) Court proceedings as to disclosure of test results shall be conducted in camera unless the subject of the test agrees to a hearing in open court or unless the court determines that a public hearing is necessary to the public interest and the proper administration of justice. (5) Upon the issuance of an order to disclose test results, the court shall impose appropriate safeguards against unauthorized disclosure, which shall specify the persons who may gain access to the information, the purposes for which the information shall be used, and appropriate prohibitions on future disclosure. h. To an employer, if the test is authorized to be required under any other provision of law. i. Pursuant to section 915.43, to a convicted or alleged sexual assault offender; the physician or other health care provider who orders the test of a convicted or alleged offender; the victim; the parent, guardian, or custodian of the victim if the victim is a minor; the physician of the victim if requested by the victim; the victim counselor or person requested by the victim to provide counseling regarding the HIV-related test and results; the victim's spouse; persons with whom the victim has engaged in vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse subsequent to the sexual assault; members of the victim's family within the third degree of consanguinity; and the county attorney who may use the results as evidence in the prosecution of sexual assault under chapter 915, subchapter IV, or prosecution of the offense of criminal transmission of HIV under chapter 709C. For the purposes of this paragraph, "victim" means victim as defined in section 915.40. j. To employees of state correctional institutions subject to the jurisdiction of the department of corrections, employees of secure facilities for juveniles subject to the department of human services, and employees of city and county jails, if the employees have direct supervision over inmates of those facilities or institutions in the exercise of the duties prescribed pursuant to section 80.9B. 3. Release may be made of medical or epidemiological information for statistical purposes in a manner such that no individual person can be identified. 4. Release may be made of medical or epidemiological information to the extent necessary to enforce the provisions of this chapter and related rules concerning the treatment, control, and investigation of HIV infection by public health officials. 5. Release may be made of medical or epidemiological information to medical personnel to the extent necessary to protect the health or life of the named party. 6. Release may be made of test results concerning a patient pursuant to procedures established under section 141A.5, subsection 2, paragraph "c". 7. Medical information secured pursuant to subsection 1 may be shared between employees of the department who shall use the information collected only for the purposes of carrying out their official duties in preventing the spread of the disease or the spread of other reportable diseases as defined in section 139A.2.          Section History: Recent Form 99 Acts, ch 181, §13; 2000 Acts, ch 1066, §40; 2007 Acts, ch 70, §10; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, §103; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §25 Referred to in §139A.22, 505.16, 915.43