NEW JERSEY - HOSPITAL MANDATORY REPORTING GUIDE
New Jersey — Hospital Mandatory Reporting Guide
Category 1 — Adverse Events
State-defined adverse events / serious reportable events (Modified NQF list approach per OIG; confirm current state list).
Who Must Report: Licensed hospitals.
Deadline: Varies by system.
Destination: New Jersey Department of Health.
Citation: Source.
Attorney Notes: Mandatory reporting supports regulatory‑noncompliance arguments and discovery into internal reviews.
Category 2 — Child Abuse / Neglect
Trigger: Reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected.
Who Must Report: Any person (universal reporting).
Deadline: Immediately.
Destination: DCPP or law enforcement.
Citation: N.J. Stat. § 9:6‑8.10.
Attorney Notes: Universal duty broadens liability exposure.
Category 3 — Weapon Injuries
Trigger: Treatment of gunshot wound.
Who Must Report: Physicians, hospitals.
Deadline: Immediately.
Destination: Police.
Citation: N.J. Stat. § 2C:58‑8.
Attorney Notes: Creates law‑enforcement notice trail.
Category 4 — Communicable Diseases
Trigger: Diagnosis, suspicion, or laboratory identification of a reportable disease or outbreak.
Who Must Report: Providers and laboratories.
Deadline: Condition‑specific; many require immediate or 24‑hour reporting.
Destination: New Jersey Department of Health.
Citation: New Jersey Reportable Diseases List.
Attorney Notes: Supports outbreak‑control and foreseeability analysis.
Category 5 — Complaints / Investigations
Timeline: New Jersey law authorizes complaint investigations but does not impose a statutory “start within X days” requirement.
Citation: Complaint authority exists; no explicit statutory timeline.
Attorney Notes: Delays may be scrutinized in serious patient‑safety cases.