Sec. 96.005.  SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM.  (a)  The executive commissioner shall establish in the department a program to:
(1)  identify by sentinel surveillance RSV infection in children; and
(2)  maintain a central database of laboratory-confirmed cases of RSV that can be used to investigate the incidence, prevalence, and trends of RSV.
(b)  In establishing the sentinel surveillance program for RSV, the executive commissioner shall consider:
(1)  the number and geographic distribution of children in the state;
(2)  the location of health facilities that collect RSV information locally; and
(3)  the use of existing data collected by health facilities.
(c)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to govern the operation of the program and carry out the intent of this chapter, including rules that specify a system for selecting the demographic areas in which the department collects information.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 152 (H.B. 1677), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.