192.067.  Patients' medical records, department may receive information from — purpose — confidentiality — immunity for persons releasing records, exception — reimbursement of costs of abstracting data — penalty. — 1.  The department of health and senior services, for purposes of conducting epidemiological studies to be used in promoting and safeguarding the health of the citizens of Missouri under the authority of this chapter is authorized to receive information from patient medical records.  The provisions of this section shall also apply to the collection, analysis, and disclosure of nosocomial infection data from patient records collected pursuant to section 192.667 and to the collection of data under section 192.990.

  2.  The department shall maintain the confidentiality of all medical record information abstracted by or reported to the department.  Medical information secured pursuant to the provisions of subsection 1 of this section may be released by the department only in a statistical aggregate form that precludes and prevents the identification of patient, physician, or medical facility except that medical information may be shared with other public health authorities and coinvestigators of a health study if they abide by the same confidentiality restrictions required of the department of health and senior services and except as otherwise authorized by the provisions of sections 192.665 to 192.667, or section 192.990.  The department of health and senior services, public health authorities and coinvestigators shall use the information collected only for the purposes provided for in this section, section 192.667, or section 192.990.

  3.  No individual or organization providing information to the department in accordance with this section shall be deemed to be or be held liable, either civilly or criminally, for divulging confidential information unless such individual organization acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose.

  4.  The department of health and senior services is authorized to reimburse medical care facilities, within the limits of appropriations made for that purpose, for the costs associated with abstracting data for special studies.

  5.  Any department of health and senior services employee, public health authority or coinvestigator of a study who knowingly releases information which violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided by law.