§ 4-203. Laboratories — in general.

(a) Duty to report.

The individual in charge of any public or private medical laboratory must report to the Commissioner the result of any test of a specimen from a human body that is microscopic cultural, histological, pathological, immunological, serological, or other confirmed or suspected evidence of any disease or condition that the Commissioner specifies by rule or regulation adopted under § 2-106 {"Rules and regulations"} of this article for purposes of this section.

(b) When to report.

(1) Unless a different time is set by the Commissioner or by State law, the report must be made within 48 hours of obtaining the test results.

(2) When more than 1 specimen is taken from the same patient during a single disease episode, the individual in charge of the laboratory need not report every test result that shows evidence of the same disease if:

(i) at least 1 positive test report is reported; and

(ii) the Commissioner approves in writing the reporting of less than all test results.

In addition to the information required by § 4-102 {"Form and contents of reports"} of this title, the report must contain the following information:

(1) the date and type of test performed;

(2) the results of the test;

(3) the name and address of the physician for whom the examination was performed; and

(4) if applicable, an enumeration of colonies of acid-fast bacilli, according to Diagnostic Standards of the American Thoracic Society.

(d) Test result not final diagnosis.

The result of a laboratory test:

(1) is not to be considered a final diagnosis; and

(2) does not absolve the attending physician of the duty to report her or his diagnosis of the case under § 4-201 {"Physicians"} of this subtitle.