A provider of health care or a health care service plan may disclose medical information in the following circumstances: 1) to other healthcare providers to facilitate diagnosis and treatment 2) to find financially liable party and obtain payment 3) to administrative subcontractors 4) quality control organizations (peer review boards, etc.) 5) accrediting agencies 6) coroners 7) \bona fide research purposes\" 8) employer
When death is result of doctor's gross negligence/incompetence, coroner shall file confidential report to medical board. No liability in civil action from complying with this statute.
No copy, reproduction, or facsimile shall be made of any photograph, negative, or print, including instant photographs and video tapes, of the body of a deceased person, taken by or for the coroner at the scene of death or in the course of a post mortem examination or autopsy, except for criminal proceeding or by order of court.
A provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor shall disclose medical information if the disclosure is compelled by any of the following: Court order; Order from a board, commission, or agency; Subpoena from a party before a court or agency; Arbitrator or panel; Search Warrant; Patient or Patient's representative; or, Coroner conducting an investigation
(1) It shall be the duty of the coroner to inquire into and determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of all violent, sudden, unattended, unusual or suspicious deaths. In cases where the coroner conducts an inquiry, the coroner or a deputy shall personally sign the certificate of death. If the death occurred in a state hospital, the coroner shall forward a copy of his or her report to the state agency responsible for the state hospital.
When a coroner reasonably suspects criminal conduct as a cause of death, the coroner shall notify law enforcement of the name of the deceased person and any medical information of the decedent that is directly related to the death. The report shall not include any information contained in the decedent's medical records regarding any other person unless that information is relevant and directly related to the decedent's death.
Coroner must state the disease or condition directly leading to death, antecedent causes, other significant conditions contributing to death, and other required medical and health section data on the death certificate.
Nothing in this section authorizes the further disclosure of confidential medical information ... described in this section by the chief medical examiner-coroner or any of the prehospital emergency medical care personnel except as otherwise authorized by law.
The second section of a certificate of live birth, the electronic file information collected under 102426, and the second section of a certificate of fetal death under 103025 shall be confidential. Access to such confidential information is limited to department staff, local registrar's staff, local health department if approved by registrar county coroner, persons with valid scientific interest as determined by State Registrar, the parent signing the certificate, person named on certificate, person petitioning adoption.
The physician or surgeon last in attendance with a patient must complete and attest to the medical and health section data and the time of death for the purposes of registering a death. If the patient is in a skilled nursing or intermediate care facility, a licensed physician assistant may complete and attest to such provided that the assistant is legally authorized to do so and has visited the patient within 72 hours before death. When coroners are required to fill out such data, then they must certify and attest to the facts.
