Report a Disease or Outbreak

Why Report?

We rely on medical providers, school officials and other community partners to notify us when they encounter cases or suspected cases of certain diseases or conditions. Reporting allows local health departments to keep track of the diseases in the community and to take action to prevent diseases from spreading.

Who is required to report?

• Healthcare Providers (Title 17 CCR §2500)
• Laboratorians (Title 17 CCR §2505) must report to the state electronic reporting system (CalREDIE)* or to a system that is linked to CalREDIE.
• Veterinarians (Title 3 CCR § 797) must report animal cases of anthrax, brucellosis (except Brucella canis), plague, rabies, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fever
• Schools (Title 17 CCR §2508)
• Healthcare Facilities Licensed by CA Department of Public Health (CDPH):
  1. Healthcare Facilities (Title 22 CCR §70737)
  2. Home Health Agencies (Title 22 CCR §70737)
  3. Clinics (Title 22 CCR §70737)
  4. Referral Agencies (Title 22 CCR §70737)
• Congregate Facilities Licensed by CA Department of Social Services (CDSS):
  1. Child Care Facilities, such as:
     • Childcare Programs (Title 22 CCR §101212(d)(g))
     • Family Day Care Homes for Children ((22 CCR §102416.2(c)(3))
  2. Residential Community Care Facilities, such as:
     • Adult Day Programs (22 CCR §82061)
     • Small Family Homes (22 CCR §83061)
     • Group Homes (22 CCR §84061
     • Adult Residential Facilities (22 CCR §85061)
     • Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) (22 CCR §87211)
     • Residential Care Facilities for the Chronically Ill (22 CCR §87861)

What is reportable to Public Health?

• List of Reportable Diseases and Conditions – (Title 17, California Code of Regulations §2500, §2593, §2641.5-2643.20, and §2800-2812)
• List of Reportable Conditions: Notifications by Laboratories - (Title 17, California Code of Regulations §2505))

How do I report?

To report a suspect or confirmed disease, condition or outbreak complete the following to have information routed to the correct Contra Costa Public Health program as indicated in table below:

• Online CalREDIE* Form in the Provider Portal (PP) or Manual Lab Reporting Module (MLRM),
• Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) Feed via CalREDIE,
• Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) Feed via CalREDIE,
• Confidential Morbidity Report (CMR),
• Microsoft Form/Workbook (Outbreaks ONLY), and/or
• Fax

* CalREDIE (California Reportable Disease Information Exchange) can be used by health care providers, administrators and/or laboratories to securely submit reports to Public Health and comply with statewide regulatory requirements

CalREDIE (California Reportable Disease Information Exchange) Registration and Onboarding

• I. Laboratories must report to the state electronic reporting system (CalREDIE)* or to a system that is linked to CalREDIE via Electronic Lab Reporting (ELR) to comply with laboratory reporting requirements as outlined in Title 17 CCR § 2505 with licensing received via California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Laboratory Field Services.
  
  

  HOW TO REGISTER for CalREDIE Laboratory Reporting:

  • Option #1: Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) system using HL7:
    1. Contact CalREDIE ELR team with intent to start ELR Transmission
       CalREDIE ELR Team Email: CalREDIE_Onboarding@cdph.ca.gov
    2. CalREDIE ELR webpage
    3. Formally register at the CDPH HIE Gateway
  • Option #2: Manual Lab Reporting Module (MLRM):
    1. To register complete the online form: Manual Lab Reporting Account Authorization Form
    2. Manual Lab Reporting Quick Start Guide
    3. Please contact CalREDIE Help with any questions.
       • CalREDIE Help Desk
       • 866-866-1428
• II. Provider and Administrators can report electronically via CalREDIE (California Reportable Disease Information Exchange) Provider Portal (PP) to comply with provider disease reporting requirements as outlined in Title 17 CCR §2500.
  • CalREDIE Provider Portal online request portal
• III. Healthcare Systems and Provider Networks can more easily comply with provider disease reporting requirements as outlined in Title 17 CCR § 2500 via Electronic Case Reporting (eCR). Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) is the process of automatically generating and transmitting case reports from a healthcare organization's electronic health record (EHR) system to public health agencies for review and action.
  • CalREDIE Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) registration form
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: As of 2022, CalREDIE eCR implementation is in Phase 1 and only processing eCRs for COVID-19 but actively working on next Phases of expansion into other reportable diseases.

What is permitted in the law as disclosures to Public Health?

The Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 sets standards for the use and disclosure of private health information. The Privacy Rule does allow communicable disease reporting as part of permitted disclosures for public health activities (CFR Title 14 §164.512). No consent or authorization is required.

• HIPAA Privacy Rule and Public Health: Guidance from CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Service (CDC MMWR, 2003)

Physicians who need to report a suspected public health emergency should contact the Public Health division immediately at 925-313-6740; or after hours, call the sheriff's dispatch at 925-646-2441 and ask for the Health Officer on call.

Examples of public health emergencies include a suspected or confirmed case of measles, suspected or confirmed meningococcal disease, suspected botulism, suspected illness due to a bioterrorism agent, a severe outbreak or any unusual illness that requires immediate containment.