SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM.

(a) The executive commissioner shall establish in the department a program to:

(1) identify by sentinel surveillance individuals infected with emerging or neglected tropical diseases;

(2) maintain a central database of laboratory-confirmed cases of emerging and neglected tropical diseases; and

(3) use the information in the database to investigate the incidence, prevalence, and trends of emerging and neglected tropical diseases.

(b) In establishing the sentinel surveillance program for emerging and neglected tropical diseases, the executive commissioner shall consider:

(1) the location of health facilities that collect locally emerging and neglected tropical disease information; and

(2) the use, privacy, and security 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:

(1) specify a system for selecting the demographic areas in which the department collects information; and

(2) identify the specific emerging and neglected tropical diseases that are included in the sentinel surveillance program and the manner in which diseases will be added to the program as necessary to reflect changing conditions.