Section 3701.146 - Duties and powers regarding tuberculosis(A) In taking actions regarding tuberculosis, the director of health has all of the following duties and powers: (1) The director shall maintain registries of hospitals, clinics, physicians, or other care providers to whom the director shall refer persons who make inquiries to the department of health regarding possible exposure to tuberculosis.(2) The director shall engage in tuberculosis surveillance activities, including the collection and analysis of epidemiological information relative to the frequency of tuberculosis infection, demographic and geographic distribution of tuberculosis cases, and trends pertaining to tuberculosis.(3) The director shall maintain a tuberculosis registry to record the incidence of tuberculosis in this state.(4) The director may appoint physicians to serve as tuberculosis consultants for geographic regions of the state specified by the director. Each tuberculosis consultant shall act in accordance with rules the director establishes and shall be responsible for advising and assisting physicians and other health care practitioners who participate in tuberculosis control activities and for reviewing medical records pertaining to the treatment provided to individuals with tuberculosis.(B)(1) The director shall adopt rules establishing standards for the following:(a) Performing tuberculosis screenings;(b) Performing examinations of individuals who have been exposed to tuberculosis and individuals who are suspected of having tuberculosis;(c) Providing treatment to individuals with tuberculosis;(d) Preventing individuals with communicable tuberculosis from infecting other individuals;(e) Performing laboratory tests for tuberculosis and studies of the resistance of tuberculosis to one or more drugs;(f) Selecting laboratories that provide in a timely fashion the results of a laboratory test for tuberculosis. The standards shall include a requirement that first consideration be given to laboratories located in this state.(2) Rules adopted pursuant to this section shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and may be consistent with any recommendations or guidelines on tuberculosis issued by the United States centers for disease control and prevention or by the American thoracic society. The rules shall apply to county or district tuberculosis control units, physicians who examine and treat individuals for tuberculosis, and laboratories that perform tests for tuberculosis.Amended by 129th General Assembly, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.Effective Date: 02-12-2004; 06-30-2005