What you need to do as a provider
What is reportable?
Confidentiality and HIPAA
Report Form and Instructions

What you need to do as a provider:

All medical providers or other organizations offering confidential HIV testing or providing care to HIV-positive patients should report positive cases to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Laboratories are also required to report tests indicative of HIV infection (O.C.G.A. § 24-9-47, § 31-22-9.2, and Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia Chapter 290-5-48.11).

You should report anyone new to you. This includes anyone you think may have been reported by another state or facility. In other words, unless you have previously reported a patient, and their health status has not changed, you should complete a report form.

To update clinical status or condition, you may simply call the HIV/STD Epidemiology Section at 1-800-827-9769. You do not need to report routine lab work such as CD4+ lymphocyte counts or viral load tests performed on a patient you have already reported. The laboratory will submit those test results to the surveillance office. However, you should report any AIDS-defining illnesses.

What is reportable?

Georgia Statue identifies HIV and AIDS as disease of public health importance and requires both health care providers and laboratories to report case of HIV and AIDS. Health care providers should complete a HIV/AIDS Case Report Form on any patient with an HIV or AIDS diagnosis. Laboratories must report any test indicative of HIV infection. This includes but is not limited to confirmed positive HIV antibody tests, all CD4 counts, all viral load tests (including undetectable), or any HIV diagnostic test (O.C.G.A. § 24-9-47, § 31-22-9.2, and Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia Chapter 290-5-48.11).

Confidentiality and HIPAA

All state HIV/AIDS surveillance programs are required to meet security standards set forth by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Access to confidential information is limited to authorized staff. All employees sign a confidentiality statement with criminal penalties for breaches. Individuals' names are not shared with anyone including federal agencies, immigration, insurance companies, employers, school officials, or family members of the person with HIV.

HIV/AIDS reports to DPH are exempt from HIPAA's privacy rule. The rule states that disclosure of patient health information without the authorization of the individual is permitted for purposes including but not limited to disclosures required by law (45 CFR § 164.512(a)) or for "public health activities and purposes." Additional information on the HIPAA Privacy Rule can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/policies/hipaa/Default.htm.

Names and other identifying information are required for all reportable diseases. This method provides the most complete and accurate data by minimizing duplicate reports and facilitating follow-up with health care providers for additional information. Additionally, CDC only accepts data from surveillance systems that utilize names as an identifier.

Anonymous testing is available throughout Georgia at publicly funded HIV Counseling and Testing sites, which include your local health department.

For more information about Security and Confidentiality, please read our brochure.

Report Form and Instructions

HIV and AIDS are reported using the revised HIV/AIDS Adult Case Report Form (adults-13 and older) and instructions or the HIV/AIDS Pediatric Case Report Form (pediatrics-under 13 years) and instructions. Reports should include the patient's name, demographics, history, laboratory data, and clinical status. To assist in obtaining risk history, you may use the Risk Assessment Form.

All of the required information will not always be available to one provider. Reporters should provide as much data as can be located. To assist the surveillance office in obtaining missing information, please furnish the names of other providers that could potentially provide additional information. In the absence of laboratory documentation, a physician's diagnosis of HIV or AIDS is sufficient.

For more information, including updates on reporting and instructions for completing HIV case reports, call toll free at 1-800-827-9769. You may also email us at jakelly@dhr.state.ga.us.