“Name-based Reporting” of Those Who Test Positive for HIV to Begin January 1 in Illinois
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 30, 2005
Contact
Julie Pryde, Director Infectious Disease Prevention & Management
217-239-7827
Diana Yates, Communications Coordinator
217-531-4275
“Name-based Reporting” of Those Who Test Positive for HIV to Begin January 1 in Illinois
Patient Confidentiality Protected by Law; Anonymous Testing Will Still Be Available at Public Health
Beginning January 1, the state of Illinois will require hospitals, health departments and other agencies to change the way they report HIV positive test results to the state. Until now, health care personnel have reported HIV positive test results to the state without including the names of the individuals who test positive, but the state is now making the change to name-based reporting.
The change is part of a national effort to increase the accuracy of HIV reporting. States that fail to switch to name-based reporting risk losing federal funding.
State and local health officials say the change will not affect patient confidentiality. Illinois has used name-based reporting of those diagnosed with AIDS since the early 1980s. The state “has strong security and confidentiality practices in place, which have protected the confidentiality of AIDS cases,” health officials say.
Public Health will comply with the state mandate for names-based reporting, and will also continue to offer anonymous HIV tests, which are not reported to the state.
“We are confident that patient confidentiality will be protected with names-based reporting,” said Julie Pryde, director of the Division of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management. “No local or state health official can disclose a person’s HIV status without that person’s written consent.”
“For those who wish to keep their identity secret even from health care providers, we will continue to offer anonymous HIV testing,” she said.
Those seeking more information may visit the Public Health website: www.cuphd.org (Click on Infectious Disease) or call 217-239-7827 and ask for Karla.
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