S.C. Code Regs. § 19-1120 - Classification of Data Elements

A. The data elements are classified into four categories: encounter-level, restricted, confidential, and never releasable. These categories are defined as:

(1) Encounter-level data are those data elements that are available for general public use.

(2) Restricted data are those data elements that require approval for release through the Data Release Protocol.

(3) Confidential data elements are those that shall be released only if a mandate has been established by statutory law.

(4) Never releasable data elements are those that may be used for statistical linking purposes only.

B. Until data elements are classified, they shall be considered restricted data and shall be subject to the Data Release Protocol.

C. To insure the confidentiality of patients, health care facilities, health care insurer and/or health care professionals certain data elements shall be classified by these regulations as Restricted, Confidential, or Never Releasable data elements. Restricted data elements include, but are not limited to, health care facility identifiers, health care professional identifiers, health care insurer identifiers, patient medical record number or chart number, and unique patient number. Confidential data elements include, but are not limited to, patient name and address (excluding all Mental Health and Alcohol and other Drug Abuse encounters). Never releasable data elements include, but are not limited to, patient social security number (for all encounters), patient name and address for all Mental Health and Alcohol and other Drug Abuse encounters as required by federal law, and any other patient identifying information protected from release by federal law. All identifiers may be released back to the entity providing the data or controlling the enumeration of the data.

Notes

S.C. Code Regs. § 19-1120

Added by State Register Volume 19, Issue No. 5, eff May 26, 1995. Amended by State Register Volume 29, Issue No. 6, eff June 24, 2005.