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Practitioner Lead Reporting Requirements

Florida Health

Lead Poisoning Prevention

Blood Lead Test Reporting Requirements and Information for Practitioners

This site summarizes the responsibilities of practitioners for blood lead test reporting as per Chapter 64D-3 of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), Control of Communicable Diseases and Conditions Which may Significantly Affect Public Health. According to this rule practitioners are required to provide demographic information to laboratories with each blood lead specimen. Practitioners are also required to report blood lead test results to the local county health department (CHD) and the Florida Department of Health, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (FL CLPPP). The specific reporting requirements for practitioners are addressed below.

 


 

Practitioners are responsible for obtaining and providing all of the following information to laboratories at the time the specimen is sent to or received by the laboratory. Supplying this information enables laboratories to fulfill electronic laboratory reporting requirements under Chapter 64D-3.030, F.A.C.

 a) The patient's:

  1. First and last name, including middle initial
  2. Address, including city, state, and zip code
  3. Telephone number, including area code
  4. Date of birth
  5. Sex
  6. Race
  7. Ethnicity (Hispanic / non-Hispanic)
  8. Pregnancy status if applicable
  9. Social Security number

b) Type of specimen (e.g. venous vs. capillary specimen)

c) Date of specimen collection

d) Submitting Provider's:

  1. Name
  2. Address, including street, city, state, and zip code
  3. Telephone number, with the area code of the provider requesting the test

Lead poisoning is a reportable condition in Florida under Rule 64D-3.029, Florida Administrative Code. Local health care providers, laboratories, and public health professionals are required to report all blood lead level results to the CHDs. Blood lead levels measured at 3.5 µg/dL or greater are indicative of lead poisoning.

a) The patient's:

  1. First and last name, including middle initial
  2. Address, including city, state, and zip code
  3. Telephone number, including area code
  4. Date of birth
  5. Sex
  6. Race
  7. Ethnicity (Hispanic / non-Hispanic)
  8. Pregnancy status if applicable
  9. Social Security number

b) Type of diagnostic tests

c) Type of specimen (e.g. venous vs. capillary specimen)

d) Date of specimen collection

e) Diagnostic test results

f) Treatment given

g) Name, address, and telephone number of the attending practitioner

h) Other necessary epidemiological information requested by the CHD

Chapter 64D-3 F.A.C. authorizes the LPPP to collect the results of all blood lead test results from all practitioners. However, in most cases, Lead poisoning is a reportable condition in Florida under Rule 64D-3.029, Florida Administrative Code. Local health care providers, laboratories, public health professionals, and other point-of-care testers are required to report all blood lead level results to DOH.

Blood lead levels ≥3.5 µg/dL must be reported to DOH by the next business day. All blood lead levels <3.5 µg/dL must be reported to DOH within 10 business days.

All reports of blood lead test results must be sent electronically. To send test results electronically, facilities must register using the following link:

https://elrportal.floridahealth.gov/COVID19Antibody/FacilityRequest/RequestForm

Additional instructions will be emailed post registration.

 

All reports must include the following information:

a) The patient's:

  1. First and last name, including middle initial
  2. Address, including city, state, and zip code
  3. Telephone number, including area code
  4. Date of birth
  5. Sex
  6. Race
  7. Ethnicity (Hispanic / non-Hispanic)
  8. Pregnancy status if applicable
  9. Social Security number
  10. Date of onset of symptoms (if applicable)
  11. Diagnosis

b) Type of diagnostic tests

c) Type of specimen (e.g. venous vs. capillary specimen)

d) Date of specimen collection

e) Diagnostic test results

f) Treatment given

g) Name, address, and telephone number of the attending practitioner

h) Other necessary epidemiological information requested by the CHD

*Information on Approved Electronic Reporting Formats:
The Florida Department of Health is developing an Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) system that will make use of HL7 Format. Upon the Department's implementation of its electronic disease surveillance system, reports of diseases or conditions must be submitted electronically to the Department using an application and reporting format provided by the Department. At least nine (9) months in advance of requiring practitioners and laboratories to submit reports electronically in this format, the Department will publish a notice in the Florida Administrative Weekly announcing when electronic reporting will begin. The Department will also notify appropriate professional organizations affected by Chapter 64D-3, F.A.C.

Any practitioner who is subject to the provisions of this rule who fails to report a disease or condition as required by this rule or otherwise fails to act in accordance with this rule is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) as provided in Sections 775.082 or 775.083, F.S. Each violation is considered a separate offense. All violations by practitioners, hospitals or laboratories shall be reported to the appropriate professional licensing authorities and public financing programs.

*Note: This page contains materials in the Portable Document Format (PDF). The free Acrobat Reader may be required to view these files.