General Rules for interviews, photographs, video and news conferences:
- On-duty reporters/photographers are not permitted in Holy Name without the permission of Marketing and Public Relations. Reporters and photographers not escorted by an employee will be immediately removed from the building.
- Videotaping and interviewing without the department's involvement is permitted outside of the hospital building. However the media will be asked to leave the premises if found to be interfering with patient care or routine hospital business.
- News vehicles may not park in fire lanes or block driveways.
- Patient consent will be secured prior to any videotaping or photographing.
- The news team will agree to stop taping, photographing, or interviewing at any time upon the request of the patient, physician, nursing staff or a staff member of the Marketing/Public Relations Department.
News Media Patient Information Requests
A new federal law (HIPAA) took affect on April 2003 and affects the release of patient information by hospitals and health providers. These regulations specify how information may be released to the media.
- A hospital now has the responsibility of telling patients that is can release general condition information (directory information) and to whom that information will be disclosed. Patients have the option of stating that they do not want information released at all, including confirmation of their presence in the facility. If the patient requests that no information be released, the hospital must honor that request.
- No information on a patient's condition may be released unless the name of the patient is provided by the requestor. A hospital may not release the names of patients.
- Under HIPAA, matters of public record (those situations that are by law reportable to public authorities such as police, coroner, or public health officials) are now no different than other cases. Victims of accidents have the same privacy rights as all other patients. Media calls requesting patient information will be answered with only the one-word condition.
Patient Status
Unless the patient has expressed otherwise and opted out of releasing any information, only the following one-word conditions will be released.
- Under Evaluation – Patient undergoing assessment.
- Good – Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. The patient is conscious and comfortable (indicators are excellent).
- Fair – Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. The patient is conscious and comfortable (indicators are favorable).
- Poor – Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. (Indicators are questionable.)
- Critical – Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. The patient may be unconscious (indicators are unfavorable).
- Treated and Released - Received treatment but not admitted.
- Treated and transferred – Received treatment. Transferred to a different facililty.
Policy Summary
Holy Name Hospital strives to keep the public informed of its activities and to cooperate with the news media. However, protecting a patient's privacy and maintaining confidentiality of health care information are of paramount importance to Holy Name. Inquiries regarding patients must be directed to the proper person, defined in this policy. "Directory information" will be released for adult patients without specific written authorization by the patient, unless the information is protected by state or federal law, or the patient requests that no information be released.
Deceased Patients
Holy Name Hospital will provide identifying information concerning deceased patients after next-of-kin has been notified, unless the patient initially opted out of providing information.
Special Cases
No information regarding treatment for psychiatric conditions, substance abuse, the AIDS virus or any other sensitive conditions or circumstances should be released. Special discretion should be used when releasing information regarding minors, victims of sexual assault and attempted suicide.
If a patient is unconscious and cannot express an information release preference, the hospital must decide if disclosure is in the patient’s "best interest".