141-C:7 Reporting of Communicable Disease. –
I. Upon becoming aware of any communicable disease or communicable disease syndrome listed under RSA 141-C:8, any health care provider, clinical laboratory director, the superintendent or other person in charge of any hospital, or other health care facility, or any other person having under his or her care or observation a person afflicted with a communicable disease or communicable disease syndrome, or who has reason to believe that a person was or might have been afflicted with a communicable disease at the time of death, shall report to the commissioner the communicable disease or communicable disease syndrome and shall provide social security numbers, if persons were given the option at the original point of collection to provide social security numbers voluntarily, and such additional information and periodic reports as required under RSA 141-C:9, I.
II. Any veterinarian, livestock owner, veterinary diagnostic laboratory director, or other person engaged in the care of animals shall report animals having or suspected of having any disease that may cause a communicable disease in humans.
III. Any clinical laboratory director shall forward to the department's public health laboratory isolates of reportable infectious microorganisms as specified by the commissioner. In addition, any clinical laboratory director performing any testing for reportable diseases shall retain the original patient specimens for 7 days after issuing a final test result for diseases specified by the commissioner and shall submit such specimens to the public health laboratories upon request.
IV. In addition to the foregoing requirements for health care providers, a pharmacist shall report, if required under rulemaking procedures by the commissioner, any unusual or increased types of prescriptions, or unusual trends in pharmacy visits that may be caused by a communicable disease. Prescription-related events that require a report may include, but are not limited to:
(a) An unusual increase in the number of prescriptions to treat fever, respiratory, or gastrointestinal complaints.
(b) An unusual increase in the number of prescriptions for antibiotics.
(c) An unusual increase in the number of requests for information on over-the-counter pharmaceuticals to treat fever, respiratory, or gastrointestinal complaints.