* § 2500-h. Statewide perinatal data system. 1. In order to support quality care at all hospitals with obstetric services, the department is authorized to provide de-identified information for all births at each affiliate hospital in each regional perinatal center's network to the regional perinatal center and the affiliate, except that such information shall include zip code and a unique identifier such as medical record number.

2. The information when received by the department shall be used solely for the purpose of improving quality of care and shall not be subject to release under article six of the public officers law, and where applicable, shall be subject to the confidentiality provisions of section twenty-eight hundred five-m of this chapter, except that the release of birth certificate information shall be subject to section forty-one hundred seventy-four of this chapter.

3. The commissioner may release information collected through the statewide perinatal data system to his or her designees, including persons or entities under contract with the department to review quality of care issues, as required to monitor regional perinatal centers and affiliate hospitals and conduct quality improvement initiatives as needed to monitor, evaluate and improve patient care and outcomes. Such designee or person or entity under contract with the department to review quality of care issues shall maintain the confidentiality of all such information and shall use it only to improve quality of care, as approved by the department.

* NB There are 2 § 2500-h's