DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES; REPORTING SYSTEM

(a) The department shall establish the Texas Health Care-Associated Infection and Preventable Adverse Events Reporting System within the department. The purpose of the reporting system is to provide for: (1) the reporting of health care-associated infections by health care facilities to the department; (2) the reporting of health care-associated preventable adverse events by health care facilities to the department; (3) the public reporting of information regarding the health care-associated infections by the department; (4) the public reporting of information regarding health care-associated preventable adverse events by the department; and (5) the education and training of health care facility staff by the department regarding this chapter. (b) The reporting system shall provide a mechanism for this state to collect data, at state expense, through a secure electronic interface with health care facilities. (c) The data reported by health care facilities to the department must contain sufficient patient identifying information to: (1) avoid duplicate submission of records; (2) allow the department to verify the accuracy and completeness of the data reported; and (3) for data reported under Section 98.103, allow the department to risk adjust the facilities' infection rates. (d) The department shall review the infection control and reporting activities of health care facilities to ensure the data provided by the facilities is valid and does not have unusual data patterns or trends that suggest implausible infection rates.