As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms specified in this Section have the meanings ascribed to them herein.
(a) "Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.(b) "Disclosure" means the communication of health data to any individual or organization outside the Department.(c) "Health data" means any information, except vital records as defined in the Vital Records Act, relating to the health status of people, the availability of health resources and services, and the use and cost of such resources and services.(d) "Identifiable health data" means any item, collection, or grouping of health data which makes the individual supplying it or described in it identifiable.(e) "Individual" means a natural person.(f) "Organization" means any corporation, association, partnership, agency, department, unit or other legally constituted institution or entity or part thereof.(g) "Research and statistical purposes" means the performance of certain activities relating to health data including but not limited to: (1) describing the group characteristics of individuals or organizations; (2) analyzing the interrelationships among the various characteristics of individuals or organizations; (3) the conduct of statistical procedures or studies to improve the quality of health data; (4) the design of sample surveys and the selection of samples of individuals or organizations; (5) the preparation and publication of reports describing these matters; and (6) other related functions. Specifically excluded as research and statistical purposes is the use of the data for an individual or organization to make any determination directly affecting the rights, benefits, or entitlements of that individual or organization.