The purpose of notifiable conditions reporting is to provide the information necessary for the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Washington State, and local jurisdictions to protect the community’s health by tracking communicable diseases and other conditions.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)
The Tribal Health Officer shall establish a list of reportable diseases or other conditions of public health importance. The list may include diseases or conditions of humans or animals caused by exposure to toxic substances, microorganisms, or any other pathogens. The Tribal Health Officer may rely upon the Washington State Department of Health official list of notifiable conditions in meeting this requirement.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)
The Tribal Health Officer is authorized to report to the local health department, Washington State Department of Health, and/or the Indian Health Service any information concerning a reportable disease or condition, an unusual cluster, or a suspicious event that they reasonably believe has the potential to be caused by or an indicator of bioterrorism. These may include the following:
(a) 
A single diagnosed or strongly suspected case of disease caused by an uncommon agent or a potential agent of bioterrorism occurring in a patient with no known risk factors;
(b) 
A cluster of patients presenting with similar syndromes that includes unusual disease characteristics or unusually high morbidity or mortality without obvious etiology; or
(c) 
An unexplained increase in a common syndrome that is above seasonally expected levels.
The sharing of information on reportable conditions, unusual clusters, or suspicious events with state and local public health authorities shall be restricted to the information necessary for the treatment, control, investigation, and prevention of a public health emergency.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)
Health care providers and health care facilities shall:
(a) 
Notify the Tribal Health Officer regarding:
(i) 
Cases or suspected cases of notifiable conditions listed by the Tribal Health Officer or the Washington State Department of Health;
(ii) 
Outbreaks or suspected outbreaks of disease that occur or are treated in the health care facility including, but not limited to, suspected or confirmed outbreaks of varicella, influenza, viral meningitis, health care-associated infection suspected due to infected products or devices, or environmentally related disease; and
(iii) 
Known barriers which might impede or prevent compliance with orders for infection control or quarantine.
(b) 
Notify an appropriate health authority designated by the THO if the health care provider/facility is unable to contact the Tribal Health Officer.
(c) 
Immediately, upon becoming aware of a clinically possible case of a condition designated as “immediately notifiable” by the Washington State Department of Health, notify the Tribal Health Officer in person or by phone. This applies twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If the health care provider or facility is unable to contact the Tribal Health Officer, they shall contact the appropriate health authority designated by the THO for instances when the THO is not reachable. The THO shall only designate appropriate health authorities that maintain an after-hours emergency phone contact for this purpose. A party sending a report during normal business hours must confirm immediate receipt by a live person.
(d) 
Cooperate with the Tribal Health Officer during investigation of:
(i) 
Circumstances of a case or suspected case of a notifiable condition or other communicable disease; and
(ii) 
An outbreak or suspected outbreak of disease.
(e) 
Provide adequate and understandable instruction in disease control measures to each patient who has been diagnosed with a case of a communicable disease, and to other persons who may have been exposed to the communicable disease.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)
The person in charge of a child day care facility shall:
(a) 
Notify the Tribal Health Officer of cases, suspected cases, outbreaks, and suspected outbreaks of notifiable conditions that may be associated with the child day care facility.
(b) 
Consult with the Tribal Health Officer about the control and prevention of infectious disease or communicable disease.
(c) 
Cooperate with the Tribal Health Officer in the investigation of cases, suspected cases, outbreaks, and suspected outbreaks of disease that may be associated with the child day care facility.
(d) 
Release identifying information only to other individuals responsible for protecting the health and well-being of the public through control of disease.
(e) 
Establish and implement policies and procedures to maintain confidentiality related to medical information in their possession.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)
(1) 
The Tribal Health Officer may review and determine appropriate action for:
(a) 
Each reported case or suspected case of a notifiable condition;
(b) 
Any disease or condition considered a threat to public health; and
(c) 
Each reported outbreak or suspected outbreak of disease, requesting assistance from local, state, and federal agencies in carrying out investigations when necessary.
(2) 
The THO may establish a system for maintaining confidentiality of written records and written and telephoned notifiable conditions case reports. The THO may adopt alternative arrangements for meeting the reporting requirements under this chapter through coordination with local, state, and federal partners.
(3) 
The THO has the authority to:
(a) 
Carry out additional steps determined to be necessary to verify a diagnosis reported by a health care provider;
(b) 
Require any person suspected of having a notifiable condition to submit to examinations required to determine the presence of the condition;
(c) 
Require any person to submit to examinations required to determine the presence of bloodborne pathogens or pathogens transmitted by other bodily fluids, if another person has been exposed to their blood or other bodily fluids;
(d) 
Require testing or medical examination of any individual who has or may have been exposed to a communicable disease that poses a significant risk of the public’s health;
(e) 
Investigate any case or suspected case of a reportable disease or condition or other illness, communicable or otherwise, if deemed necessary;
(f) 
Require the notification of additional conditions of public health importance occurring within the tribe’s jurisdiction;
(g) 
Conduct investigations and institute control measures; and
(h) 
Coordinate with and report to local, state, or federal agencies or tribal organizations providing epidemiological services regarding any notifiable conditions.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)
The Tribal Health Officer shall establish and maintain confidentiality procedures related to employee handling of all reports of cases and suspected cases, prohibiting disclosure of report information identifying an individual case or suspected cases except:
(a) 
To employees of the tribal health clinic, another local health department or state health department, or other official agencies needing to know for the purpose of administering the requirements under this chapter; and
(b) 
To health care providers, specific designees of health care facilities, laboratory directors, and others for the purpose of collecting additional information about a case or suspected case as required for disease prevention and control.
The THO shall require and maintain signed confidentiality agreements with all tribal health clinic employees with access to identifying information related to a case or suspected case of a person diagnosed with a notifiable condition. The agreements will be renewed at least annually and will include reference to administrative actions that may be taken by the Tribal Health Officer, up to and including, termination from employment.
The THO may release statistical summaries and epidemiological studies based on individual case reports if no individual is identified or identifiable.
(Res. 20 A 139, 12/14/2020)