Georgia Code Title 45. Public Officers and Employees § 45-12-150

(1) “Aggregated data” means information that has been combined into groups showing averages or other summary statistics and that is not individually identifiable information.

(2) “De-identified data” means information that does not identify an individual, for which there is no reasonable basis to believe that the information can be used to identify an individual, and that meets the requirements for de-identification of protected health information as defined under HIPAA.

(3) “GDAC Project” means the Georgia Data Analytic Center established pursuant to this part.

(4) “Health data” means information that is created or received by a state agency or department that relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care services to an individual.

(5) “HIPAA” means the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104-191, and any regulations promulgated thereunder by the United States secretary of health and human services.

(6) “Individually identifiable information” means information that identifies an individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe that the information can be used to identify an individual.

(7) “IRB” means an institutional review board designated by the office and established pursuant to federal regulations (45 C.F.R. Section 46) with a nation-wide assurance for the protection of human subjects approved by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections, to review and monitor research involving human subjects to ensure that such subjects are protected from harm and that the rights of such subjects are adequately protected.

(8) “Office” means the Office of Planning and Budget.

(9) “Protected health information” has the same meaning as provided for under HIPAA in effect as of July 1, 2019.

(10) “Research” means a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, which is designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge as defined pursuant to 45 C.F.R. Section 46.102(d).

(11) “Researcher” means a public or private entity that conducts research under the review and monitoring of an IRB and has received approval from the data steward for the purpose of requested data elements.