* § 2500-h. Statewide perinatal data system. 1. In order to support
quality care at all hospitals with obstetric services, the department is
authorized to provide de-identified information for all births at each
affiliate hospital in each regional perinatal center's network to the
regional perinatal center and the affiliate, except that such
information shall include zip code and a unique identifier such as
medical record number.

2. The information when received by the department shall be used
solely for the purpose of improving quality of care and shall not be
subject to release under article six of the public officers law, and
where applicable, shall be subject to the confidentiality provisions of
section twenty-eight hundred five-m of this chapter, except that the
release of birth certificate information shall be subject to section
forty-one hundred seventy-four of this chapter.

3. The commissioner may release information collected through the
statewide perinatal data system to his or her designees, including
persons or entities under contract with the department to review quality
of care issues, as required to monitor regional perinatal centers and
affiliate hospitals and conduct quality improvement initiatives as
needed to monitor, evaluate and improve patient care and outcomes. Such
designee or person or entity under contract with the department to
review quality of care issues shall maintain the confidentiality of all
such information and shall use it only to improve quality of care, as
approved by the department.

* NB There are 2 § 2500-h's