Effective January 1, 2018, SB 432 revises the notification procedures for situations when prehospital emergency medical care personnel may have been exposed to a reportable communicable disease or condition that could result in transmission. SB 432 requires health facilities to notify the designated officer of the prehospital emergency medical care personnel, as well as the county health officer, upon determining that the person provided care by the prehospital emergency medical care personnel has been diagnosed with a reportable communicable disease or condition that may have been transmitted during the provision of care. 

The health facility must notify the designated officer immediately if the reportable communicable disease or condition has an urgency reporting requirement on the list of reportable diseases or conditions, or if the conditions of the exposure may have included direct contact between the unprotected skin, eyes, or mucous membranes of the prehospital emergency medical care person and the blood of the person afflicted with the reportable communicable disease or condition. If the reportable communicable disease does not meet these criteria, the health facility infection control officer must notify the designated officer consistent with Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations section 2500. 

Upon receipt of notification, the designated health officer must immediately notify the prehospital emergency medical care personnel, if the reportable communicable disease or condition has an urgency reporting requirement, or if the conditions of the exposure are met. Otherwise, the designated officer must notify the prehospital emergency medical care personnel consistent with Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations section 2500. If the health facility does not have contact information for the prehospital emergency medical care personnel they must inform the county health officer and the designated officer at their place of employment. 

Health facilities and the employer of a prehospital emergency medical care person must inform their employees of these requirements as part of the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) Injury and Illness Prevention Program training. 

In addition, employers of prehospital emergency medical care personnel and health facilities that maintain internet web sites must post in a clearly visible and accessible location on the home page of the internet web site, the title and telephone number for the designated officer, or health facility infection control officer, respectively. 

The California Department Public Health’s failure to expressly notify facilities of statutory or regulatory requirements does not relieve facilities of their responsibility for following all laws and regulations. Facilities should refer to the full text of all applicable sections of the HSC and the California Code of Regulations to ensure compliance.

If you have any questions, please contact your respective Licensing and Certification District Office.

Sincerely,

Original signed by Jean Iacino

Jean Iacino
Deputy Director