September 05, 2014 SECOND OVERSIGHT REPORT: Health Examinations for Employees, Volunteers and Patients at Certain Medical FacilitiesFinal Rule Proposed by October 20, 2014

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sep 05, 2014 - The state health officer, acting through the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, is promulgating a proposed rule to update and revise the Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51 (Louisiana Sanitary Code), Part II - “The Control of Diseases,” Chapter 5 - “Health Examination for Employees, Volunteers and Patients at Certain Medical Facilities”, Section 503 – “Mandatory Tuberculosis Testing.” This proposed rule will provide a third alternative to the annual screening testing of employees and volunteers at Louisiana hospitals and nursing homes now required on an annual basis. This third alternative is a simple screening questionnaire, which may be used instead of the other alternatives, i.e. the tuberculin skin test, also known as the Mantoux test, or the blood test, also known as the blood assay test. The initial screening test of an employee, upon initial employment, or volunteer, upon initial acceptance as a volunteer, will remain either the skin test or the blood assay test. The required screening testing of patients remains unchanged.