1997 Minnesota Statutes

     13.38 Health data. 

    Subdivision 1.    Definitions.  As used in this section: 

    (a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health. 

    (b) "Health data" means data on individuals created, 
 collected, received, or maintained by the department of health, 
 political subdivisions, or statewide systems relating to the 
 identification, description, prevention, and control of disease 
 or as part of an epidemiologic investigation the commissioner 
 designates as necessary to analyze, describe, or protect the 
 public health.  

    Subd. 2.    Data on individuals.  (a) Health data are 
 private data on individuals.  Notwithstanding section 13.05, 
 subdivision 9, health data may not be disclosed except as 
 provided in this subdivision and section 13.04.  

    (b) The commissioner or a local board of health as defined 
 in section 145A.02, subdivision 2, may disclose health data to 
 the data subject's physician as necessary to locate or identify 
 a case, carrier, or suspect case, to establish a diagnosis, to 
 provide treatment, to identify persons at risk of illness, or to 
 conduct an epidemiologic investigation. 

    (c) With the approval of the commissioner, health data may 
 be disclosed to the extent necessary to assist the commissioner 
 to locate or identify a case, carrier, or suspect case, to alert 
 persons who may be threatened by illness as evidenced by 
 epidemiologic data, to control or prevent the spread of serious 
 disease, or to diminish an imminent threat to the public health. 

    Subd. 3.    Health summary data.  Summary data derived 
 from data collected under section 145.413 may be provided under 
 section 13.05, subdivision 7. 

    Subd. 4. Repealed, 1995 c 259 art 1 s 62 

    HIST: 1981 c 311 s 31,39; 1982 c 545 s 24; 1987 c 309 s 24; 
 1987 c 351 s 4; 1994 c 618 art 1 s 5