Last year, the State Board of Health (SBOH) revised the Notifiable Conditions Rule (Chapter 246-101 WAC). This rule outlines information health care providers, health care facilities, laboratories, and other entities mare required to report to the state. This information is used to protect the public's health by tracking communicable diseases and other conditions.

Implementation of the rule begins January 1, 2023. The DOH the date nears will reach out more frequently with updates, new resources and guidance, webinars and trainings, and other ways they can support you during this transition.

DOH is currently updating old processes, and creating new processes, to comply with the SBOH rule changes. They are also updating data systems to collect new data required under the revised rule. The goal is to roll out IT data systems changes on October 31, 2022.

In the coming weeks the DOH Notifiable Conditions webpage will be updated to include the new requirements of the chapter, clear instructions on how to submit notifications, and report forms for health care providers, health care facilities, and laboratories to use when submitting required information. The forms will include fields for all the required elements of the case report as well as information on how to access guidance and technical assistance.

For questions about the revised rule contact [email protected].

The Department of Health (DOH) has filed a CR-102, proposed rule, regarding minimum standards for health equity continuing education (CE) training programs.

In 2021, legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5229. This bill directs the department to create minimum standards for health equity CE that health professionals must take every four years. DOH held four listening sessions and four rule-workshops to help develop proposed rules for minimum standards for health equity CE.

The proposed rules require completion of two hours of health equity continuing education every four years for all health professionals credentialed under RCW 18.130.040 with a continuing education requirement. The two CE hours must include implicit bias training to identify strategies to reduce bias during assessment and diagnosis.

You may provide your comments on the proposed rule in the following ways:
Submit written comments through September 29, 2022, using one of the following options:
? The Department of Health online rules comment web page
? The U.S. mail: Attn: Ashley Bell, PO Box 47843, Olympia, WA 98504
The rules hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. There is only a virtual attendance option available for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register in advance for this webinar here

For more information, please contact:

Ashley Bell Behavioral Health Programs Coordinator? Health Systems Quality Assurance Washington State Department of Health [email protected]

We thank those who have provided experiences related to inequities in the health care system as well as those who provided their expertise in health inequity throughout this process.?

Documents:

CR-102CR-102

Proposed Rules

Significant Analysis

Bill language