Section 246-101-505 - Duties-Local health officer or the local health jurisdiction(1) A local health officer or local health jurisdiction shall: (a) Review and determine appropriate action for:(i) Each case of a notifiable condition submitted to the local health jurisdiction;(ii) Any condition considered a threat to public health; and(iii) Each outbreak or suspected outbreak of disease submitted to the local health jurisdiction, and request assistance from the department in carrying out any of these investigations when necessary.(b) Establish a system at the local health jurisdiction for maintaining confidentiality of records under WAC 246-101-515;(c) Notify health care providers, laboratories, and health care facilities within the local health jurisdiction of requirements in this chapter;(d) Notify the department of cases of condition s notifiable to the local health jurisdiction under this chapter;(e) Notify the principal health care provider named in the case report or laboratory report, if possible, prior to initiating a case investigation; (f) 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; and(g) Conduct investigations and institute infection control measures in accordance with chapter 246-100 WAC.(2) The local health jurisdiction may : (a) Adopt alternate arrangements for meeting the requirements under this chapter through cooperative agreement between the local health jurisdiction and any health care provider, laboratory, or health care facility . The alternative must provide the same level of public health protection as the reporting requirement for which an alternative is sought;(b) Receive health information, demographic information, and infectious or noninfectious condition information in addition to that required under this chapter from health care providers, health care facilities, laboratories, the department of agriculture, and the department of labor and industries when the entity submitting the information determines that the additional information will aid the public health authority in protecting and improving the public's health through prevention and control of infectious and noninfectious conditions.(3) When the local health jurisdiction receives information under subsection (2)(b) of this section, the local health jurisdiction shall handle the information under the requirements of WAC 246-101-515.(4) Each local health officer may: (a) Carry out additional steps 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 necessary to determine the presence or absence of the condition;(c) Investigate any case of a notifiable condition or other infectious or noninfec-tious condition, if deemed necessary; and(d) Require the notification of additional conditions of public health importance occurring within the jurisdiction of the local health officer.Wash. Admin. Code § 246-101-505
Amended by WSR 21-11-040, Filed 5/12/2021, effective 1/31/2022