Blood Testing

TITLE 39 HEALTH AND SAFETY CHAPTER 45 THE MEDICAL CONSENT AND NATURAL DEATH ACT 39-4505. Blood testing. (1) A licensed independent practitioner may consent to ordering tests of a patient’s or a deceased person’s blood or other body fluids for the presence of blood-transmitted or body fluid-transmitted viruses or diseases without the prior consent of the patient if: (a)  There has been or is likely to be a significant exposure to the patient’s or a deceased person’s blood or body fluids by a person providing emergency or medical services to such patient which may result in the transmittal of a virus or disease; and (b)  The patient is unconscious or incapable of giving informed consent and the licensed independent practitioner is unable to obtain consent pursuant to section 39-4504 , Idaho Code. (2)  The department of health and welfare shall promulgate rules identifying the blood-transmitted or body fluid-transmitted viruses or diseases for which blood tests or body fluid tests can be ordered under this section and defining the term "significant exposure" as provided in this section. (3)  Results of tests conducted under this section that confirm the presence of a blood-transmitted or body fluid-transmitted virus or disease shall be reported to the director of the department of health and welfare in the name of the patient or deceased person. The department records containing such test results shall be used only by public health officials who must conduct investigations. The exposed person shall only be informed of the results of the test and shall not be informed of the name of the patient or deceased person. Protocols shall be established by hospitals to maintain confidentiality while disseminating the necessary test result information to persons who may have a significant exposure to blood or other body fluids and to maintain records of such tests to preserve the confidentiality of the test results. (4)  Any person who willfully or maliciously discloses the results of a test conducted under this section, except pursuant to a written authorization by the person whose blood was tested or by such person’s authorized representative, or as otherwise authorized by law, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.