Legal Responsibilities of Health Care Providers Regarding Reporting For Sexually Transmitted Infections in California*
In California, it is the legally defined duty of every health care provider, knowing of or in attendance on a case or suspected case of any of the diseases or conditions listed below to report to the local health officer for the jurisdiction where the patient resides. The administrator of each health facility, clinic or other setting where more than one health care provider may know of a case, a suspected case or an outbreak of disease within the facility shall establish and be responsible for the administrative procedures to assure that reports are made to the local health officer.
Each report should include all of the following information, if known:
- Name of the disease or condition being reported
- Date of onset
- Date of diagnosis
- Name, address, telephone number, occupation, race/ethnic group, Social Security number, sex, age, and date of birth for the case or suspected case
- Date of death if death has occurred
- Name, address, and telephone number of the person making the report
Confidential Morbidity report forms, PM 110(1/90), are available from the local health department for reporting, as required by California law.
*California regulation code: Title 17, Division 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1.