(a) With the approval of the State Board of Health, the Director of the Department of Health shall compile and disseminate health data collected by the Department of Health.

(b) (1) In consultation with advisory groups appointed by the director with representation from hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, health profession licensing boards, and other state agencies, the department should:

(A) Identify the most practical methods to collect, transmit, and share required health data as described in § 20-7-304;

(B) Utilize, wherever practical, existing administrative databases and modalities of data collection to provide the required data;

(C) Develop standards of accuracy, timeliness, economy, and efficiency for the provision of the data; and

(D) Ensure confidentiality of data by enforcing appropriate rules and regulations.

(2) To maximize limited resources and to prevent duplication of effort, the department may consider, when appropriate, contracting with private entities for the collection of data as set forth in this section subject to this subchapter.

(c)

(1) All state agencies, including health profession licensing, certification, or registration boards and commissions, which collect, maintain, or distribute health data, including data relating to the Arkansas Medicaid Program, shall make available to the department such data as are necessary for the department to carry out its responsibilities under this subchapter or such rules and regulations as may be adopted as provided in § 20-7-305.

(2) If health data are already reported to another organization or governmental agency in the same manner, form, and content or in a manner, form, and content acceptable to the department, the director may obtain a copy of the data from the organization or agency, and no duplicate report need be submitted by the organization.

(3) All hospitals and outpatient surgery centers licensed by the state shall submit information in a form and manner as prescribed by rules and regulations by the State Board of Health pursuant to § 20-7-305. However, if the same information is being collected by another state agency, the department shall obtain the data from the other state agency.