1. (a) The reporting physician, laboratory director, or alternate person as set forth in §37.335(b) of this title (relating to Persons Required To Report) shall make the report of the childhood blood lead level of concern in writing to the local health authority or the Texas Department of Health (department) immediately after gaining knowledge of the blood lead level of concern. A local health authority or the department may authorize one or more employees under his or her supervision to receive the report from the physician, laboratory director, or alternate person by telephone. The local health authority or the department shall implement a method for verifying the identity of the telephone caller when that person is unfamiliar to the employee.

2. (b) The local health authority shall collect the reports and transmit the information at weekly intervals to the Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology. Transmission may be made by mail, courier, or electronic transfer.

   1. (1) If by mail or courier, the reports shall be placed in a sealed envelope addressed to the attention of the Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology, and marked "confidential medical records."
   2. (2) If by electronic transmission, including facsimile transmission by telephone, it shall be in a manner and form authorized by the commissioner or his or her designee in each instance. Any electronic transmission of the reports must provide at least the same degree of protection against unauthorized disclosure as those of mail or courier transmission.
3. (c) When a child with a blood lead level of concern resides outside the local health jurisdiction that received the report, the local health authority shall notify the appropriate local health authority where the child or children reside. The department shall assist the local health authority in providing such notifications if requested.

4. (d) Blood lead levels of 45 micrograms per deciliter or greater shall be reported within one working day by telephone to the local health authority or the department. The following information shall be reported on a child with a blood lead level of concern or lead poisoning:

   1. (1) the child's name, address, date of birth or age, sex and race;
   2. (2) the child's blood lead level concentration, test date, and name and telephone number of the testing laboratory;
   3. (3) whether the sample is capillary or venous blood; and
   4. (4) the name and city of the attending physician.

Source Note:The provisions of this §37.336 adopted to be effective December 27, 1995, 20 TexReg 10771.