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Resources for Healthcare Professionals

Welcome to the Texas Center for Infectious Disease website for physicians, researchers, medical students, and other healthcare professionals.  TCID is the regional leader in the treatment of tuberculosis and Hansen's Disease.

Tuberculosis Treatment Guidelines

Disclosure of Patient Information

Information regarding your health care is confidential. Texas Center for Infectious Disease (TCID) is responsible for safeguarding your information and has developed policies and procedures to protect your privacy. Except as required by state or federal law, you have the right to specify what information can be released from your medical record and to designate to whom your medical information may be released. A written authorization properly completed and signed by you, or your legally authorized representative is required before releasing any health information to authorized individuals/agencies and will be strictly limited to information required to fulfill the stated purpose.

Telephone inquiries regarding whether or not you are receiving Inpatient/Outpatient medical treatment at TCID, or the status of your condition will not be released to outside sources, including family members. Such telephonic inquiries will be managed by obtaining the caller's phone number and informing you of the call and giving you the option to return the call should you so desire. Telephone requests from another healthcare provider will require proper identification and verification to assure that the caller is entitled to receive the requested information. Once verified an authorization signed by you or your legally authorized representative has been obtained the information will be released.

Information about your illness is maintained in your medical record which is confidential. As a patient, you have the right to review or obtain a copy of this information. The hospital is responsible for providing you with the information within 15 days of the request or notifying you that it does not exist or is not readily available. The hospital charges a fee for copies of records. The rate is set forth by the General Service Commission of the State of Texas.

As a public health hospital specializing in the management of infectious diseases, TCID is obligated by state and federal laws to comply with various reporting requirements. Among those the law allows the hospital to disclose confidential healthcare information without your authorization to healthcare providers who are caring for you, governmental agencies as authorized or required by law, third-party payers to obtain payment, and a court, under court order.

Texas law recognizes the following individuals as legally authorized representatives allowed to release health care information from your medical record should you be unable to sign: 

  • A parent or legal guardian if the patient is a minor (single, under the age of 18) 
  • A legal guardian of a patient who has been judged incompetent by a court to manage his personal affairs
  • An agent of the patient under a medical power of attorney
  • An attorney or guardian ad litem appointed by a court for the patient
  • A personal representative or statutory beneficiary of a deceased patient
  • Or an attorney retained by the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative.

The legally authorized representative must show written evidence of his legal status to the hospital prior to signing permission for any disclosure.

Process for Admitting TB Patients

Process for admitting tb patients flowchart

The following steps describe the necessary steps to take to admit tuberculosis patients:

  1. Contact the Admissions Coordinator at 210-531-4589 to determine if beds are available.
  2. Provide information on referral sources, patient demographics, and a brief medical history.
  3. Fax medical information for reviews by the admitting physician to include:
    • Lab reports
    • Chest x-ray reports
    • Treatment record
    • TB 400s
    • History and Physical and/or progress notes if inpatient
    • Prior discharge summaries
  4. Admitting physician review information to determine if the patient fits admission criteria and if treatment needs can be met at TCID.
  5. If the patient is accepted for admission, the Admissions Coordinator will provide the referral source with the accepting physician's name, bed assignment, and expected time of patient arrival.
  6. Patient transportation should be coordinated through the TB program in your area (TB Programs).
  7. If admission is denied, a reason for denial will be provided and suggestions for the alternate facility will be provided.
  8. Patient should be sent to TCID with copies of medical records and x-rays if available.

Admissions are accepted Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Friday until 12 noon unless other arrangements are approved by the accepting physician.

Patients should stop at Security at the entrance to TCID for directions to assigned units.

Patient Admission Forms

The most commonly used forms to perform patient admission actions:

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Regional and Local Health Operations

Regional and Local Health Operations

Texas Center for Infectious Disease