Georgia Emerging Infections Program
Georgia Department Reporting & Forms
Notifiable Disease/Condition reporting is required by Georgia Law!
Click here for Notifiable Disease Reporting Chart
Download the Notifiable Disease Reporting form
*The legal authority for notifiable disease reporting in Georgia is found in O.C.G.A. §§ 31-12-2,31-22-7; DHR Rules and Regulations, Notification of Disease Chapter 290-5-3 and Chapter 290-9-8.
About Notifiable Disease Reporting
Georgia physicians, laboratories, and other health care providers are required by law to report the occurrence of certain diseases and conditions to public health. Health departments throughout the state use notifiable disease reports not only to monitor disease trends, but also to initiate prevention and control measures locally. Georgia’s notifiable disease reporting system links public health officials to clinicians, infection control professionals, and laboratorians who are often the first to become aware of public health threats. Disease reporting enables outbreak (epidemic) detection as well as characterization of the epidemiology of endemic diseases. Sometimes a single report is enough to warrant investigation. Thus, complete and timely reporting are vital to Georgia’s surveillance of notifiable diseases.
Notifiable Disease Reporting Laws in Georgia
The legal authority for notifiable disease reporting in Georgia is found in O.C.G.A. §§ 31-12-2,31-22-7; DHR Rules and Regulations, Notification of Disease Chapter 290-5-3 and Chapter 290-9-8.
Notifiable Disease/Condition Reporting and HIPAA
The Health Information and Rule recognizes that various agencies and public officials will need protected health information to deal effectively with a bioterrorism threat or emergency. To facilitate the communications that are essential to a quick and effective response to such events, the Privacy Rule permits covered entities to disclose needed information to public officials in a variety of ways. Covered entities may disclose protected health information, without the individual's authorization, to a public health authority acting as authorized by law in response to a bioterrorism threat or public health emergency (see 45 CFR 164.512(b), public health activities). The Privacy Rule also permits a covered entity to disclose protected health information to public officials who are reasonably able to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to public health or safety related to bioterrorism (see 45 CFR 164.512(j), to avert a serious threat to health or safety). In addition, disclosure of protected health information, without the individual's authorization, is permitted where the circumstances of the emergency implicates law enforcement activities (see 45 CFR 164.512(f)); national security and intelligence activities (see 45 CFR 164.512(k)(2)); or judicial and administrative proceedings (see 45 CFR 164.512(e)).
For more information about Epidemiology Services, contact Epidemiology staff at 706-295-6656 or by fax at 706-802-5342
