A health care practitioner or facility is required to disclose a patient’s health care information, regardless of whether the patient consents, to federal and local agencies in order to protect the public’s health and welfare.1  The law requires anyone licensed to practice medicine to report all public health emergencies, particularly, conditions or diseases designated as “notifiable” to the Department of Health and Human Services.2  If a person fails to report a notifiable disease or files a false report, he or she may be subject to fines.3 In reporting notifiable diseases to the state agencies, the privilege of confidentiality is waived.  However, the reported information must be kept confidential and cannot be disclosed.4

Noteworthy is the state’s Health Data Organization, which is based on a uniform reporting system that facilitates the collection and analysis of clinical, financial, and quality data.5  The law allows public access to information provided to the Health Data Organization upon request.  However, members of the public cannot have access to privileged medical information, confidential information, or information that identifies individual patients or providers.6    

Maine law also requires physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers to report incidences of occupational diseases within 30 days from the date of diagnosis or discharge from the hospital. Notably, these reports must also include information about the patient’s sex, occupation, and race. 7  Additionally, all miscarriages and abortions performed in the state must be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services.8 Maine also mandates that all cases of cancer be reported to the state registry.9