A.C.A. § 20-7-303

Collection and dissemination of health data

The Director of the Division of Health  (within the Department of Health and Human Services) must collect and disseminate health data, with the approval of the State Board of Health.  The Division of Health, with consultation from outside groups, must determine the best ways of collecting, transmitting and sharing data, using existing databases and modes of data collection, developing standards to promote the accuracy and efficiency of the data, and ensuring the confidentiality of the data by enforcing the appropriate rules and regulations.  The Division may contract with other entities to avoid duplicative work. 

All states agencies, including health professional licensing, certification, or registration boards, that collect, maintain, or distribute health data, including Medicaid data, must make all data necessary to the functions of the Division available to the Division. 

If health data are already reported to another organization or governmental agency in the same form and content, the Director may obtain the data from that organization or agency without a duplicative report. 

All licensed hospitals and outpatient surgery centers must submit the information described under § 20-7-305.  However, if the same information is being collected by another state agency, the Division must obtain the data from that agency.