§ 18-107. Diseases of pregnancy and childhood

   (a) Duty of Secretary. -- The Secretary shall:

   (1) Devise and institute means to prevent and control morbidity and mortality associated with:

      (i) Pregnancy;

      (ii) Childbirth;

      (iii) Infancy; and

      (iv) Early childhood; and

   (2) Promote the welfare and hygiene of maternity and infancy.

(b) Review Committee. --

   (1) The Secretary shall establish a Morbidity, Mortality, and Quality Review Committee in the Department.

   (2) The Committee shall:

      (i) Conduct confidential and anonymous case reviews of morbidity and mortality associated with pregnancy, childbirth, infancy, and early childhood; and

      (ii) Develop and implement interventions to improve the system of care for pregnancy, childbirth, infancy, and early childhood based on the findings from case reviews conducted under item (i) of this paragraph.

   (3) (i) The Secretary shall adopt regulations to implement the requirements of this section.

      (ii) The regulations shall include:

         1. The types of case reviews conducted by the Committee;

         2. The confidentiality of case reviews;

         3. A description of the types of records and information needed by the Committee to conduct the case reviews under this section; and

         4. The process for obtaining records, including patient medical records, and any other necessary information in accordance with § 4-305(b) of this article.

(c) Custody and treatment. -- This section does not enable the Secretary:

   (1) To take charge of a child if the parent, guardian, or other person who has custody of the child objects; or

   (2) To treat the child for a disease without the consent of the parent, guardian, or other person who has custody of the child.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 43, § 38; 1982, ch. 21, § 2; 2008, ch. 664.