Disease Reporting by Laboratories, Health Care Providers, Hospitals, Clinics, Other Health Care Facilities

South Carolina Law (44-29-10) and Regulations (61-20) require reporting of specified contagious and infectious diseases and conditions to the local health department "in the form and manner as prescribed by DHEC in regulations concerning infectious diseases. The reports must be made to the Bureau of Disease Control in the manner required in the regulations. When available, clinical information supporting the diagnoses, including results of specific diagnostic tests, must be included."

In South Carolina, these diseases and conditions are specified in the List of Reportable Conditions (pdf), published annually. The list also includes outbreaks of disease or unusual clusters of illness, events such as animal (mammal) bites and pesticide poisoning, and findings suggestive of disease (e.g., hemolytic uremic syndrome).

Diseases do not have to be confirmed to be reported - actions to prevent further spread of disease may be necessary while confirmatory tests are pending.

HIPAA
Federal HIPAA legislation allows disclosure of protected health information, without consent of the individual, to public health authorities for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease. (HIPAA 45 CFR §164.512)

FERPA
For schools subject to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), FERPA allows reporting of illnesses without specific parent permission if a "health or safety emergency" exists. SC DHEC and the SC Department of Education have jointly determined that conditions where reports are requested immediately or within 24 hours by phone, including all clusters or outbreaks of illnesses, may be reported to SC DHEC by name, without parental consent. Disclosure of this information is documented in the student's/students' record(s) per local policies for FERPA compliance.

How and When to Report

Submit reports by one of the following methods:

• Conditions Immediately Reportable or Reportable Within 24 hours:
  • M-F, 8:30-5 PM: Call the regional public health office. See list of reportable conditions.
  • Nights, weekends, and holidays: Call the regional public health office night / weekend phone / pager number, or the statewide DHEC emergency contact number (1-888-847-0902).
• Conditions Reportable Within 3 Days:
  • Submit an electronic morbidity report via DHEC's web-based reporting system (SCIONx);
  • Complete the DHEC 1129 Disease Reporting Card and mail in an envelope marked confidential to the Division of Acute Disease Epidemiology (pdf); or
  • Call the regional public health office (pdf).
• If you are reporting from Out-of-State, mail to:
  Division of Acute Disease Epidemiology
  Mills/Jarrett Complex
  2100 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201

To learn more about electronic disease reporting, call 1-800-917-2093.

• HIV, AIDS, and STDs (excluding Hepatitis): To report these conditions
  • Call 1-800-277-0873; or
  • Submit electronically via DHEC's electronic reporting system  or
  • Submit a DHEC 1129 (pdf) Disease Reporting Card or appropriate CDC Case Report Form in a confidential envelope to:
    Division of Surveillance & Technical Support
    Mills/Jarrett Complex
    2100 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201

• Lead - Mail to:
  Bureau of Health Improvement & Equity, Lead Surveillance
  Sims-Aycock Building
  2100 Bull Street
  Columbia, SC 29201
  or
  Fax: (803) 898-3236
  Email scionlead@dhec.sc.gov to establish electronic reporting.

• Tuberculosis:
  Report to the tuberculosis division in the regional public health department in the region in which the patient resides. (See list of reportable conditions.)