On April 8, 2020 Dr. Kristina Box, the Indiana State Health Commissioner, ordered all laboratories performing COVID-19 testing on Indiana residents to report negative test results to the Indiana State Department of Health. With this new directive, laboratories must now report both positive and negative test results to the ISDH within 24 hours of completing the test.
Dr. Box also ordered all long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and residential care facilities, jails, prisons, and other congregate housing facilities to report both positive COVID-19 test results and actual and suspected COVID-19 deaths for their residents, offenders, and employees within 24 hours of receiving the positive test result or knowledge of death.
The goal of these new reporting requirements is to improve data collection and help both the ISDH and local health departments to quickly deploy all necessary resources to help limit the spread of the disease. It is anticipated the earlier collection of data will result in the ISDH partnering more quickly with long-term care facilities, jails, prisons, and other congregate housing facilities to send in strike-teams and surveyors to assist in limiting the virus’ spread.
The ISDH reported that while many providers and laboratories have been reporting COVID-19 test results and COVID-19 related deaths, this order ensures uniformity and timeliness in the reporting of cases and deaths.
A copy of Dr. Box’s Order can be found here.
DSV attorneys are available to answer any questions you may have about these new reporting requirements.
If you have additional questions about these new reporting requirements, please contact your DSV attorney or Janet M. McSharar at jmcsharar@dsvlaw.com
***The information contained on this website is for informational purposes and is not intended as formal legal advice and cannot be relied upon as such. No attorney client relationship is established or intended as a result of the information contained on this website.***