You are here : Home : Deaconess News : Media Policy

Following are selected elements of Deaconess’ Media and Public Relations Policy.

PURPOSE:
To establish policies, procedures and responsibilities for the coordination of media and public relations activities throughout the Deaconess Health System, including media interactions involving the health system and its subsidiaries, patients, employees, facilities, resources, programs, boards of directors, medical staff, students and volunteers.

For the purpose of this policy, Deaconess Health System includes Deaconess Hospital Inc., Deaconess Cross Pointe Hospital LLC, The Women’s Hospital, Deaconess Breast Center, Deaconess Medical Group, Deaconess Health Plans, Deaconess Urgent Care Centers, Evansville Surgery Center, and Midwest Radiologic Imaging.

POLICY:
The dissemination of information to the media about any subsidiary of the Deaconess Health System will be coordinated by the Deaconess Public Relations Department. It is the responsibility of news personnel to determine what constitutes news. It is the health system’s moral and legal responsibility to protect the patients’ right to privacy and the confidential nature of patient medical records. Any release of information involves the rights and responsibilities of reporters, physicians, patients, employees, and the public at large and will be guided by all of the following:

A. The laws that govern confidential information and the rights of individuals.
B.  The patient's health and welfare.
C. The ethics of the health professions.
D. The need to report news with accuracy, authority and speed.
E. The concept that factual information about a health system entity may be released to the public it serves, unless there is a specific and valid reason to withhold it.
F. If any program or event is open to one reporter, it is deemed open to all reporters. Should any event attract more reporters and photographers than can be accommodated, "pool" arrangements will be made.
G. Patients or personal representatives have the right to request cessation of recording or filming.
H. Patients or personal representatives have the right to rescind consent for use before the recording or film is released to an outside source.
I. Any recording or filming of a patient may not occur until the proper patient consent has been given.
J. Recording or filming for identification, diagnosis and treatment is covered by each Deaconess Health System entity’s own clinical photography policy.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Public Relations Department:
• Serves as the official liaison with the media (responding to media inquiries and arranging media communications).
• Coordinates and develops marketing campaigns and ancillary materials.
• Coordinates the placement of advertising.
• Approves the use of the Deaconess name and logo.
• Coordinates official Deaconess sponsorship opportunities.

Director of Public Relations:
• Serves as the official spokesperson for the Deaconess Health System.
• Directs staff in decisions relating to the media and its requests involving high-level strategic initiatives.

Public Relations Employees:
• Report information accurately, promptly and within legal limits.
• Strive to avoid embarrassment of patients, employees, physicians and other individuals involved.
• Consider the ethical constraints on physicians involved in news events. Before the attending physician's name may be released, the permission of the physician must be acquired.
• Follow all guidelines as outlined in Exhibit A, “Guidelines for Media Interactions.”
• Obtain written consent of the patient or personal representative, and inform the nursing staff before arranging media interviews and/or photography. In instances where an employee may be interviewed and/or photographed, obtain verbal consent of the employee.
• Provide information about research, teaching, and non-clinical activities with consent of the individual(s) involved.
• Place paid advertising.

PROCEDURES:

A. At the time of admission, all patients must be given the option of releasing or withholding information regarding their hospitalization, general condition, and room assignment. Exceptions are Deaconess Cross Pointe and Deaconess Hospital Unit 4200 patients as outlined in the EXCEPTION note in paragraph C following.

B. If a patient changes his or her mind and wants no information released, the procedure is to notify the Nursing Supervisor or designee. The Nursing Supervisor or designee notifies the person responsible for bed assignment, who changes the code in any electronic system and communicates the new decision to all areas in the hospital that field incoming calls.

C. Deaconess Health System will release information regarding a patient in response to a media inquiry when the following conditions are met:
   1. The inquiry contains the patient’s name; and
   2. The patient has not opted out of the facility directory.
EXCEPTION: No information will be released to the media about any patient who is admitted to a mental health unit or facility, a substance abuse unit or facility, or an outpatient program for the treatment of mental health or substance abuse conditions.

D. When both conditions (see paragraph C) are met, Deaconess Health System may release a one word statement of the patient’s condition as follows:
• Undetermined – Issued when the patient is awaiting physician and assessment.
• Good – Issued if vital signs are stable and within normal limits. The patient is stable and comfortable and indicators are excellent.
• Fair – Issued if vital signs are stable and within normal limits, patient is not comfortable and indicators are favorable.
• Serious – Issued if vital signs may be unstable or not within normal limits, patient is acutely ill and indicators are questionable.
• Critical – Vital signs are unstable and not in normal limits, patient may be unconscious and indicators are unfavorable.

E. Deaconess Health System will release no further information in response to a media inquiry without a signed authorization from the patient or personal representative. An agreeable patient or personal representative is required to sign a Consent for Use of Media Materials (F 2658) (Exhibit B) before media photos and/or interviews. The consent is filed in the Public Relations office. No other consent forms should be used when recordings or film is issued for release to the public.

F. Deaconess Health System may release information that a patient has been “treated and released.” However, no information will be released to the media about any patient who has been released from a mental health unit or facility, a substance abuse unit or facility, or an outpatient program for the treatment of mental health or substance abuse conditions, or if the conditions of paragraph C of this policy are not met.

G. Deaconess Health System employees may take photographs of a patient without the consent of the patient if such action falls within their regular job duties (e.g., to document injuries from suspected abuse).

• Deaconess Health System

• Evansville, Indiana
• 812/450-5000
  
  
• Terms of Use
  
  
• Site Map
  
  
• Copyright 1998-2010