NAC439.940. Participation in National Healthcare Safety Network: Annual report of aggregated data; confidentiality; audits.

     1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 239.0115, information provided to the Division through the National Healthcare Safety Network and any additional information requested by the Division is confidential, not subject to subpoena or discovery and not subject to inspection by the general public.

     2. The Division shall annually prepare and post on the Internet website maintained by the Division a report of aggregated data provided to the National Healthcare Safety Network.

     3. The Division may prepare and post on the Internet website maintained by the Division a report of the data provided by a specific medical facility, including, without limitation, infections tracked by the medical facility, infection rates reported by the medical facility and the name of the medical facility, if:

     (a) The medical facility has given the Division permission to make such a report available to the public; and

     (b) The data released pursuant to this subsection does not reveal the identity or otherwise compromise the confidentiality of a medical facility that is included in the report of aggregated data posted pursuant to subsection 2 and which has not given the Division permission to report data specific to that medical facility.

     4. The Division shall:

     (a) Ensure that the name and other personally identifying information regarding each patient are kept confidential when preparing the report.

     (b) Adhere to standard methods of suppressing protected health information and reporting to ensure that the identity of a patient is not revealed and to preserve patient confidentiality.

     5. The Division may, at such times as it deems necessary, audit a medical facility that participates in the National Healthcare Safety Network to ensure the accuracy of information submitted by the medical facility, including, without limitation, data relating to facility-acquired infections, health care records and tests.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R044-10, eff. 10-15-2010)