An interesting thing happened when I was at the doctor’s office for my annual check-up this year. While reviewing my history with the nurse, she was entering things into the computer. When asked what she was doing, she responded she was entering information into “grits.” Well you all know me so naturally you know that I laughed and then asked “grits? What in the world is grits? I know we can’t possibly be talking about what we had for breakfast!” She laughed and said, No, it’s some type of immunization registry we are required to post in for the government. And I thought “HMMM, I don’t like this!” So . . . I researched it upon returning home.

Surprise fellow GEORGIANS, our medical information is on line! Supposedly is cannot be accessed by unauthorized users, BUT, you and I both know if someone wants the information, they will get it. This did not make me feel very safe. I pulled up the Georgia Code on Health Law and discovered the following information . . . . Please read very carefully.

 Georgia Immunization Registry Law – 31 –12-3.1

Official Code of Georgia Annotated, 31 –12-3.1

 SECTION 1

(a) The department, for purposes of establishing and maintaining a single repository of accurate, complete, and current vaccination records to be used in aiding, coordinating, and promoting effective and cost-efficient disease prevention and control efforts, shall establish and maintain a vaccination registry.

(b) Any person who administers a vaccine or vaccines licensed for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration to a person shall for each such vaccination provide to the department such data as are deemed by the department to be necessary and appropriate for purposes of the vaccination registry established pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section, including, without limitation:

(1) The name of the person;

(2) The person’s date and place of birth, including the name of the hospital where delivered, if applicable;

(3) The names and addresses of the person’s parents or guardians if the person is 18 years of age or younger;

(4) The date of the vaccination and the specific type or types of vaccine or vaccines administered to the person on that date; and

(5) Complications or side effects resulting from a vaccination, if any. Vaccination data reporting requirements, including without limitation the types of data required to be reported and the time and manner of reporting such data, shall begin after the registry has established linkages to vaccine providers and shall be established by the department in consultation with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Georgia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.

(c) The department shall utilize the registry to provide notices, whether by mail, telephone, personal contact, or other means, to persons and to parents or guardians regarding their children or wards who are due or overdue for a particular type of vaccination according to recommended vaccination schedules. The department shall consult with medical services providers to determine the most effective and efficient manner of using the registry to provide such notices.

(d) Vaccination records for any person included within the vaccination registry shall be maintained as part of the registry until the person’s death.

(e) Individually identifiable vaccination information regarding a person may be provided to the department by, or released by the department to, a local health department, hospital, physician, or other provider of medical services to the person or to a school or child care facility in which the person is enrolled if the person is 18 years of age or younger without the consent of the person or the person’s parents or guardians. All persons shall be enrolled unless a specific exemption is requested by the person or the person’s parent or guardian if the person is 18 years of age or younger. A parent or guardian may obtain and upon request to the department shall be provided with all individually identifiable vaccination registry information regarding his or her child or ward. Except as provided otherwise by this Code section, individually identifiable vaccination registry information shall be treated as confidential and shall not be released to a third party without consent of the person or the person’s parent or guardian if the person is 18 years of age or younger.

(f) Nothing in this Code section shall:

(1) Prohibit the department from providing or publishing registry information in aggregate form for scientific, educational, or public health purposes, provided that such information is published without releasing or identifying individual names contained in the registry;

(2) Prohibit the department or any medical services provider from notifying a person or the person’s parent or guardian if the person is 18 years of age or younger of the person’s vaccination status or of a vaccination that is due or overdue according to recommended vaccination schedules; or

(3) Diminish a parent’s or guardian’s responsibility for having a child vaccinated properly.

(g) Any person, including but not limited to practitioners of the healing arts, submitting or obtaining in good faith vaccination reports or data to or from the department in compliance with the provisions of this Code section and any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant to this Code section shall not be liable for any civil damages therefore.

(h) The department is authorized to accept any grants, gifts, awards, and funds from government, public, and private sources to supplement any appropriation made for the purpose of funding the provisions of this Code section.

(i) The department is authorized and directed to promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of this Code section.

For additional information on the States of Georgia Health Code please see  http://statutes.laws.com/georgia/title-31

After reading this information I decided to locate the website regarding this information and all it entails. The information located did nothing to ease my concern. Please read below:

Georgia Department of Public Health                           We Protect Lives

Website http://dph.georgia.gov/georgia-immunization-registry-grits

Home » Programs » Health Protection » Immunization Section » Georgia Immunization Registry (GRITS)

Georgia Immunization Registry (GRITS) actually GRITS stands for Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (https://www.grits.state.ga.us/production/security_ui.showLogin) DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOG ON UNLESS YOU ARE AN AUTHORIZED USER.

Mission & Vision

The Georgia Immunization Registry is designed to collect and maintain accurate, complete and current vaccination records to promote effective and cost-efficient disease prevention and control. The Georgia Immunization Registry law, passed in 1996 and expanded by House Bill 1526, requires reporting by “any person who administers a vaccine or vaccines licensed for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration to a person.” Several options are available for submitting immunization records to the Registry. Georgia’s immunization providers also have quick and easy access to immunization records on individuals and able to generate a variety of reports on their immunization status.

Goals:

Assure that all persons in Georgia receive appropriate, timely immunizations to lead healthy, disease-free lives;

Assist providers and public health officials in reminding individuals when they or their children need or are past due for vaccination(s);

Assist public health officials in assessing and improving community immunization status;

Assure access to up-to-date immunization records of Georgians;

Assist providers in evaluating the immunization status of their patients;

Avoid duplicate immunizations;

Meet the needs of Georgia’s Immunization Registry mandate;

Provide a Registry that is cost-effective, user friendly, and efficient.

GRITS Partners:

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP)

Georgia Association of Physicians Assistants (GAPA)

Georgia Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics (GA AAP)

GRITS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):  http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Immunizations/GRITS%20FAQs%202_5.pdf

Forms

Immunization Record Request Form  http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Immunizations/Imm%20Record%20Request%20form%208-2013_0.pdf

Data Exchange:   http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Immunizations/Interfacing%20information_0.pdf

Opt-In To Registry Form:  http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Immunizations/GRITS%20OPT%20IN%20rvsd%209-2013.pdf

Opt-Out of Registry Form:  http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Immunizations/GRITS%20OPT%20OUT%20rvsd%209-2013.pdf

Related Sites

American Immunization Registry Association:  http://www.immregistries.org/

The American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) is a working group of 11 state, city, and managed care immunization registry managers whose members have met since March 1999. AIRA is working to provide a common voice for immunization registry programs and to encourage communication and collaboration among partners to ensure a sustainable network of immunization registries.

Georgia Academy of Family Physicians:  http://www.gafp.org/

The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) is a non-profit medical association of family physicians, family practice residents, and medical students. The Vision of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians is to achieve excellence in health care and the betterment of health of all Georgians.

Georgia Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics:  http://www.gaaap.org/

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The Georgia Chapter of the AAP was established in 1934 as an endorsed Chapter Affiliate of the national organization.

Georgia Hospital Association:  https://www.gha.org/

The Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) is a nonprofit trade association made up of member hospitals and individuals in administrative and decision-making positions within those institutions.

G.R.I.T.S. is a member of the National organization – ARIA located at http://www.immregistries.org/

Ladies and Gentlemen, if the Conservative State of Georgia is connected to this National Databank, think of how inclusive Liberal States will be with your personal medical information. This in and of itself is frightening. Please entertain these final questions and arrive at your own answers . . . .

What does the government need with my personal medical information? 

Why would the individuals I send to my State Capital and to Washington, DC,

abdicate their responsibilities to preserve my right to privacy?