(A) The identities of patients and emergency medical technicians mentioned, referenced, or otherwise appearing in information and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services must be treated as confidential. The identities of these persons are not available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. However, the identities of patients and emergency medical technicians and information and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services are subject to subpoena in any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding and may be released by court order. An individual in attendance at a proceeding must not be required to testify as to the identity of a patient except pursuant to court order. A person, medical facility, or other organization providing or releasing information in accordance with this article must not be held liable in a civil or criminal action for divulging confidential information unless the individual or organization acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose. However, the name of emergency medical technicians, and information and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services must be released to the patient upon his request. In the event the patient is incapacitated or deceased, the name of emergency medical technicians, information, and data collected or prepared by emergency medical services must be released to the patient's immediate family, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's legal representative upon their request.

(B) The identity of a patient is confidential and must not be released except that the identity of a patient may be released upon consent of the patient, the patient's immediate family, the patient's legal guardian, or the patient's legal representative.

(C) An official investigation or inquiry shall be conducted by an Investigative Review Committee. The fact of suspension or restriction of a license, and the fact of any subsequent related action taken by the department is public information under the Freedom of Information Act after issuance of an administrative order.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in this section, patient information must not be released except to:

(1) appropriate staff of the department's Division of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma, the South Carolina Data Oversight Council, and Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office;

(2) submitting hospitals or their designees;

(3) a person engaged in an approved research project, except that information identifying a subject of a report or a reporter must not be made available to a researcher unless consent is obtained pursuant to this section.

(E) For purposes of maintaining the database collected pursuant to this article, the department and the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office may access and provide access to appropriate confidential data reported in accordance with this section.

(F) A person subject to this article who intentionally fails to comply with reporting, confidentiality, or disclosure requirements of this article is subject to a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for a first offense and not more than five thousand dollars for each subsequent violation.

(G) The department, or a person or entity licensed or certified under this section is required to disclose to the solicitor or his designee information received that could aid in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. This includes, but is not limited to, information concerning child abuse, felony driving under the influence, assaults, or other crimes regardless of whether the information is obtained before, during, or after treatment. All information received by the solicitor shall be held confidential by the solicitor or his designee unless such information is necessary for criminal investigation and prosecution.

(H) This section supersedes any other provision of law, with the exception of federal law, which may be contrary to requirements set forth in this section.

HISTORY: 2004 Act No. 271, Section 1, eff July 16, 2004; 2010 Act No. 157, Section 1, eff May 11, 2010; 2017 Act No. 47 (S.234), Section 1, eff May 19, 2017.

Code Commissioner's Note

Pursuant to the directive to the Code Commissioner in 2018 Act No. 246, Section 10, "Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office" was substituted for all references to "Office of Research and Statistics of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office".

Effect of Amendment

2017 Act No. 47, Section 1, amended (A), providing that the identities of patients and emergency medical technicians are subject to subpoena in judicial proceedings.