CODE OF VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA CONGENITAL ANOMALIES REPORTING AND EDUCATION SYSTEM (§ 32.1-69.1)

A. In order to collect data to evaluate the possible causes of stillbirths and
birth defects, improve the diagnosis and treatment of birth defects and
establish a mechanism for informing the parents of children identified as having
birth defects and their physicians about the health resources available to aid
such children, the Commissioner shall establish and maintain a Virginia
Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System using data from birth and
death certificates and fetal death reports filed with the State Registrar of
Vital Records and data obtained from hospital medical records. The chief
administrative officer of every hospital, as defined in § 32.1-123, shall make
or cause to be made a report to the Commissioner of any stillbirth and any
person under two years of age diagnosed as having a congenital anomaly. The
Commissioner may appoint an advisory committee to assist in the design and
implementation of this reporting and education system with representation from
relevant groups including, but not limited to, physicians, geneticists,
personnel of appropriate state agencies, persons with disabilities and the
parents of children with disabilities.

B. The Commissioner shall provide for a secure system, which may include online
data entry that protects the confidentiality of data and information for which
reporting is required, to implement the Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting
and Education System.At a minimum, data collected shall include, but need not be
limited to, the following: (i) the infant’s first and last name, date of
birth, gender, state of residence, birth hospital, physician’s name, date
of admission, date of discharge or transfer, and diagnosis; (ii) the first and
last names of the infant’s mother and father; (iii) the first and last
name of the primary contact person for the infant; and (iv) data pertaining to
stillbirths and birth defects reported by hospitals and derived from birth and
death certificates and fetal death reports filed with the State Registrar of
Vital Records and such other sources as may be authorized by the
Commissioner.The Commissioner, as he deems necessary to facilitate the follow-up
of infants whose data and health record information have been entered into the
system, may authorize the integration or linking of the Virginia Congenital
Anomalies Reporting and Education System with other Department of Health
population-based surveillance systems.In addition, to minimize duplication and
ensure accuracy during data entry, the Commissioner may authorize hospitals
required to report stillbirth and birth defect data to the system to view such
existing data and information as may be designated by the Commissioner.With the
assistance of the advisory committee, the Board shall promulgate such
regulations as may be necessary to implement this reporting and education
system.

C. As used in this section, “stillbirth” means an unintended,
intrauterine fetal death occurring after a gestational period of 20 weeks.

HISTORY: 1985, c. 273; 1986, c. 136; 1988, cc. 459, 843; 1994, c. 854; 2006, cc.
699, 906; 2015, c. 661.