§300ff–133 Request for Notification with Respect to Victims Assisted

Summary

Lets an emergency responder who thinks they might have been exposed to an infectious disease by a victim they attended, treated, assisted, or transported ask their designated officer to look into it. The designated officer must collect the facts about the incident and decide if, under the federal list and guidelines of covered diseases, the worker could have been exposed. If the officer thinks exposure may have happened, they must send a signed, written request with those facts to the medical facility that got the victim. The medical facility must check its medical records and tell the designated officer in writing whether the worker was exposed, was not exposed, the facts were not enough, or the facility has no information about the victim’s infection. If the facility later learns the victim had a listed disease, it must make the determination and report it. The facility must respond as soon as possible and no later than 48 hours after getting the request. If the victim died before or at the facility, the request must also go to the place that determines cause of death, which then has the same duties. If a facility says the facts are insufficient and the designated officer asks for help, the local public health officer will review the request and reply within 48 hours. If that review finds the facts were enough, the public health officer will resubmit the request and the facility must respond. If more facts are needed, the public health officer will advise on what to collect and will resubmit once enough facts are gathered.