Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) The
Department and its authorized representatives, when deemed necessary to protect
the public's health, may conduct epidemiological investigations and follow-up
to confirm the diagnosis, treatment and causes of any disease or condition to
determine appropriate methods of outbreak and communicable disease control.
Such investigations shall be considered official duties of the Department and
may include, but are not limited to:
(a)
Review of pertinent, relevant medical records by authorized representatives of
the Department, if necessary to confirm the diagnosis; to investigate causes;
to identify other related cases in an area, community, or workplace; to
determine if a person with a reportable notifiable disease or condition has
received adequate treatment to render themselves non-infectious or if exposed
has received prophylaxis, if appropriate. Such review of records may occur
without patient consent and shall be conducted at reasonable times and with
such notice as is deemed reasonable under the circumstances.
(b) Perform interviews with an infected
person or persons knowledgeable about the case to collect pertinent and
relevant information about the cause(s) of or risk factors for the notifiable
disease or condition.
(c) Conduct
notification services by authorized Department representatives to inform
persons who may have been in such association with an infected person or animal
or a contaminated environment and who have had opportunity to acquire the
infection. These will include, but are not limited to: household contacts,
sexual partners, correctional facilities inmates and employees, patrons,
employees or owners of business establishments, preschool staff and students,
school staff and students, and other individuals who may have been in an
infected person's social, business or environmental network.
(d) Medical examination or testing of persons
exposed to or at risk of the notifiable disease or condition.
(e) Obtain from public or private businesses
or institutions the identities and locating information of persons, travelers,
passengers or transportation crews with a similar or common potential exposure
to the infectious agent as a reported case (such exposure may be current or
have occurred in the past).
(f)
Interview or administer questionnaires confidentially to any resident of a
community or any agent, owner, operator, employer, employee or client of a
public or private business or institution, that is either epidemiologically
associated with an outbreak, or with the reported case or has had similar
exposure as the reportable case.
(g) Collect environmental samples of
substances or measurements of physical agents that may be related to the cause
of an outbreak or notifiable disease or condition.
(h) Enter a place of employment for the
purpose of conducting epidemiological investigations of those processes,
conditions, structures, machines, apparatus, devices, equipment, records and
materials within the place of employment which are relevant, pertinent and
necessary to the investigation of an outbreak of notifiable diseases or
conditions during regular working hours or at other reasonable times with such
notice as is reasonable under the circumstances.
(2) Information gathered in the course of an
epidemiological investigation and follow-up shall be confidential to the degree
permitted under the provisions of Sections
119.0712,
381.0031(6),
384.29, and
392.65,
F.S.
Rulemaking Authority
381.0011, 381.003(2),
381.0031(7), (8), 384.25(2), 384.29, 384.33, 392.66 FS. Law Implemented
381.0011, 381.003(1),
384.26,
392.54
FS.
New 11-20-06, Amended
11-24-08.
