Haw. Code R. § 11-164.2-24 - TB clearance requirements for persons living or working in health care facilities or residential care settings licensed or otherwise regulated by the department

(a) Employees, contract workers, and volunteers working more than ten hours per week in health care facilities or residential care settings licensed or otherwise regulated by the department and residents of health care facilities or residential care settings licensed or otherwise regulated by the department shall obtain a TB clearance within twelve months prior to the date of employment, contract start date, volunteer service, or entry into a health care facility or residential care setting licensed or otherwise regulated by the department, and shall obtain a TB clearance annually.

(b) A person who does not meet the requirements in subsection (a) who requires urgent or unexpected admission into a health care facility or residential care setting licensed or otherwise regulated by the department may be temporarily admitted by providing the following:

(1) Documentation of a chest x-ray taken within the preceding thirty days that excludes a diagnosis of communicable TB disease; or

(2) If a chest x-ray is not available, evidence that a practitioner has completed a TB risk assessment on the person and determined that the person has no TB symptoms.

The person shall obtain a TB clearance within two weeks of the admission or may be discharged.

(c) A person who does not meet the requirements of subsections (a) or (b) who requires urgent or unexpected admission into a health care facility or residential care setting licensed or otherwise regulated by the department may not be admitted.

(d) The following persons shall be exempt from the requirements in this section:

(1) Persons who are not in contact with, or who have not shared air space with patients or residents of the facilities (e.g., telephone operators who work in a separate office from patients or residents), or who will never be in contact with clinical specimens that may contain Mycobacterium tuberculosis;

(2) Patients of acute inpatient facilities; and

(3) Infants under twelve months of age.

Notes

Haw. Code R. § 11-164.2-24

[Eff 3/17/2018] (Auth: HRS §§ 321-9, 321-11, 321-31, 325-13) (Imp: HRS §§ 321-1, 321-9, 321-31, 325-76)