(a) Information received by the Department of Public Health through filed reports, inspection or as otherwise authorized under this chapter, shall not be disclosed publicly in such manner as to identify any patient of an institution, except in a proceeding involving the question of licensure.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, all records obtained by the commissioner in connection with any investigation under this chapter shall not be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 for a period of six months from the date of the petition or other event initiating such investigation, or until such time as the investigation is terminated pursuant to a withdrawal or other informal disposition or until a hearing is convened pursuant to chapter 54, whichever is earlier, except those medical and personnel records described in subparagraph (B) of subdivision (15) of subsection (a) of section 19a-14 shall not be subject to disclosure under section 1-210. A complaint, as defined in subdivision (6) of section 19a-13, shall be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 from the time that it is served or mailed to the respondent. Records which are otherwise public records shall not be deemed confidential merely because they have been obtained in connection with an investigation under this chapter.

(1953, 1955, S. 2058d; P.A. 75-242; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 85-585, S. 3; P.A. 89-350, S. 10; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 39, 58; P.A. 01-195, S. 155, 181; P.A. 10-179, S. 105; P.A. 18-168, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 75-242 replaced “individuals or institutions” with “any patient of an institution” and included proceeding before commission on hospitals and health care in exception; Sec. 19-39 transferred to Sec. 19-583 in 1977; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-583 transferred to Sec. 19a-499 in 1983; P.A. 85-585 added Subsec. (b) re confidentiality of investigations by the commission; P.A. 89-350 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), substituting “this chapter” for specific section cites; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health and replaced Commission on Hospitals and Health Care with Office of Health Care Access, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 10-179 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re Office of Health Care Access proceeding; P.A. 18-168 amended Subsec. (b) by adding exception for medical and personnel records described in Sec. 19a-14(a)(15)(B).