Section 18-337 - Positive test results.
§ 18-337. Positive test results.
(a) "Health care provider" defined.- In this section, "health care provider" means a physician, a physician's designee, or a designee of a health care facility licensed or otherwise authorized to provide health care services.
(b) Notice to others by health care providers.- If an individual informed of the individual's HIV positive status under § 18-336 of this subtitle refuses to notify the individual's sexual and needle-sharing partners, the individual's physician may inform the local health officer and/or the individual's sexual and needle-sharing partners of:
(1) The individual's identity; and
(2) The circumstances giving rise to the notification.
(c) Enforcement of §§ 18-208 through 18-213.1 of this title.- When the local health officer is notified, the health officer shall enforce the provisions of §§ 18-208 through 18-213.1 of this title:
(1) Within a reasonable time; and
(2) To the extent feasible.
(d) Referrals to appropriate services.- Each local health officer shall refer the infected individual and any known sexual or needle-sharing partners of the individual to appropriate services for the care, support, and treatment for HIV infected individuals.
(e) Liability of physician - Disclosure.- A physician acting in good faith to provide notification in accordance with this section may not be held liable in any cause of action related to a breach of patient confidentiality.
(f) Liability of physician - Nondisclosure.- A physician acting in good faith may not be held liable in any cause of action for choosing not to disclose information related to a positive test result for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus to an individual's sexual and needle-sharing partners.
(g) Liability of hospitals or other health care providers.- A hospital or any other health care provider acting in good faith pursuant to a physician's order to perform or interpret a test for the presence of HIV may not be held liable in any cause of action related to:
(1) A breach of patient confidentiality; or
(2) A physician's decision to disclose or not to disclose information related to a positive test result to a local health officer and/or an individual's sexual and needle-sharing partners.
[1989, ch. 789, § 2; 1994, ch. 3, § 1; 2004, ch. 25, § 6.]