§ 44-61-340 — Confidentiality of data; exceptions; penalty.

South Carolina § 44-61-340

• Jurisdiction: South Carolina
• Title 44: HEALTH
• Ch. 61: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Text

(A) The identities of patients and emergency medical technicians mentioned, referenced, or otherwise appearing in information or data collected or prepared by the EMSC Program must be treated as confidential. The identities of these persons are not available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. However, the identities of patients and emergency medical technicians and information and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services are subject to subpoena in any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding and may be released by court order. An individual in attendance at a proceeding shall not be required to testify as to the identity of a patient except pursuant to court order. A person, medical facility, or other organization providing or releasing information in accordance with this article must not be held liable in a civil or criminal action for divulging confidential information unless the individual or organization acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose. However, the name of emergency medical technicians, and information and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services must be released to the patient or the patient's legal guardian upon request. In the event the patient is incapacitated or deceased, the name of emergency medical technicians, information, and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services must be released to the patient's immediate family, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's legal representative upon their request. (B) The identity of a patient is confidential and shall not be released except that the identity of a patient may be released upon written consent of the patient, the patient's immediate family, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's legal representative. (C) Except as otherwise authorized in this section, patient information must not be released except to: (1) appropriate staff of the Division of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma within the Department of Health and Environmental Control, South Carolina Data Oversight Council, and Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office; (2) submitting hospitals or their designees; (3) a person engaged in an approved research project, except that no information identifying a subject of a report or a reporter may be made available to a researcher unless consent is obtained pursuant to this section. (D) For purposes of maintaining the database collected pursuant to this article, the department and the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office may both access and provide access to appropriate confidential data reported in accordance with Section 44-61-160. (E) A person subject to this article who intentionally fails to comply with reporting, confidentiality, or disclosure requirements of this article is subject to a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for a first offense and not more than five thousand dollars for each subsequent violation. (F) The department, or a person or entity licensed or certified under this section is required to disclose to the solicitor or his designee information received that could aid in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. This includes, but is not limited to, information concerning child abuse, felony driving under the influence, assaults, or other crimes regardless of whether the information is obtained before, during, or after treatment. All information received by the solicitor shall be held confidential by the solicitor or his designee unless such information is necessary for criminal investigation and prosecution.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 323, SECTION 1; 2010 Act No. 157, SECTION 3, eff May 11, 2010; 2017 Act No. 47 (S.234), SECTION 2, eff May 19, 2017. Code Commissioner's Note Pursuant to the directive to the Code Commissioner in 2018 Act No. 246, SECTION 10, "Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office" was substituted for all references to "Office of Research and Statistics of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office". Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 47, SECTION 2, amended (A), providing that the identities of patients and emergency medical technicians are subject to subpoena in judicial proceedings.