CDC streamlines lab test result reporting by sharing COVID-19 results reported to public health agencies with HHS system

To streamline the reporting of COVID-19 lab test results, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday encouraged all U.S. hospital laboratories to submit their COVID-19 testing information to their state or local public health department following their normal protocol for reportable conditions. In turn, the state/local health departments will report the data to CDC, and CDC will submit the data to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Protect System. HHS last month asked hospitals to use the HHS Protect System to report in-house laboratory testing results.

Hospitals that report data to their state/local health departments do not need to also submit it to the HHS Protect System, the CDC said. However, hospital laboratories may opt to continue reporting testing data directly into the HHS Protect System following HHS instructions.

For details on how to report test data, see the CDC guidance.