§ 576-c. Electronic reporting of disease and specimen submission. 1.
Whenever a clinical laboratory or blood bank is otherwise required by
this chapter to report evidence of a disease or health condition to the
commissioner or a local health officer, the laboratory director shall
report the test results and such data elements as are determined by the
commissioner to be necessary as authorized by law. All reports shall be
sent electronically to the department in a standards based electronic
format, using a network, communications protocol, clinical syntax and
vocabulary all as determined by the commissioner to be compatible with
national health information standards promulgated by the federal centers
for disease control and prevention and the department of health and
human services. Reports shall be submitted on a schedule determined by
the commissioner.

2. Clinical laboratories and blood banks may continue to submit
reports in paper copy to the commissioner and/or local health officer as
otherwise required by this chapter until the earlier of the date the
laboratory director receives notice that the laboratory has been
certified to report electronically or one year after the effective date
of this section. Thereafter, all reports shall be sent electronically to
the department.

3. In the event the system for electronic reporting is unavailable for
any reason, including lack of certification for electronic reporting,
clinical laboratories and blood banks shall make reports to the local
health officer of the county of the patient's residence and the
commissioner using an alternate mechanism determined by the
commissioner.

4. Whenever the commissioner or a local health officer determines that
supplemental testing is necessary to confirm evidence of a disease or
health condition otherwise required to be reported to the commissioner
or a local health officer pursuant to this chapter, or to further
identify the characteristics of a causative agent for reasons of public
health protection, the laboratory shall submit all or part of the
specimen or its derivatives with patient identifiers to the department
or its designee, or the local health officer or his or her designee, in
a manner and as directed by the commissioner.

5. The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations necessary to
implement the provisions of this section.