HB186 Summary

• Requires Alabama Department of Public Health to establish systems and collect patient discharge data from hospitals (general acute care, critical access, specialized hospitals, and freestanding emergency departments) beginning April 1, 2022, on a quarterly basis.

• Mandates the department adopt rules for protection, collection, and dissemination of discharge data, with data shared to Alabama Hospital Association for internal use only and public data released in compliance with HIPAA and state health privacy laws.

• Establishes Hospital Discharge Data Advisory Council with 13-14 members including hospital representatives, physicians, insurance representatives, consumer, and state agency officials to advise on rulemaking and data protection matters.

• Authorizes civil penalties of $.05 per patient discharge record per day for delinquent reporting, with reports due within 60 days of quarter end; allows hospitals right to informal conference and penalty waiver for acts of God or compliance-related reasons.

• Protects individual patient data as confidential and privileged from discovery; provides liability immunity for good faith discharge data reports except for knowingly false data, violations of law, or wanton/arbitrary disclosure.