The Florida Senate

467.019  Records and reports.--

(1)  The midwife shall mail or submit a completed birth certificate for each birth, in accordance with the requirements of chapter 382, to the local registrar of vital statistics within 5 days following birth.

(2)  The midwife shall instruct the parents regarding the requirement for an infant screening blood test for metabolic diseases as required by s. 383.14 and rules promulgated pursuant thereto, and shall notify the county health department in the county where the birth occurs, within 48 hours following delivery, unless other arrangements for the test have been made by the parents.

(3)  Each maternal death, newborn death, and stillbirth shall be reported immediately to the medical examiner.

(4)  The department shall adopt rules requiring that a midwife keep a record of each patient served. Such record must document, but need not be limited to, each consultation, referral, transport, transfer of care, and emergency care rendered by the midwife and must include all subsequent updates and copy of the birth certificate. These records shall be kept on file for a minimum of 5 years following the date of the last entry in the records.

(5)  Within 90 days after the death of a midwife, the estate or agent shall place all patient records of the deceased midwife in the care of another midwife licensed in this state who shall ensure that each patient of the deceased midwife is notified in writing. A midwife who terminates or relocates to private practice outside the local telephone directory service area of the midwife's current practice shall provide notice to all patients as prescribed by department rule.

(6)  The department shall adopt rules to provide for maintaining patient records of a deceased midwife or a midwife who terminates or relocates a private practice.

(7)  A licensed midwife who is or has been employed by a practice or facility, such as a birth center, which maintains patient records as records belonging to the facility may review patient records on the premises of the practice or facility as necessary for statistical purposes.

History.--ss. 1, 3, ch. 82-99; s. 8, ch. 84-268; ss. 4, 5, ch. 91-429; s. 19, ch. 92-179; s. 144, ch. 97-101; s. 8, ch. 98-130.