Glossary of Terms

Media Consent Forms

Media representatives and photographers must contact the hospital spokesperson for assistance in obtaining interviews and/or photographs of patients, employees, and areas of the hospital. Hospital policies require that a hospital representative accompany news personnel ANY time they are on hospital grounds. The following activities require written authorization (signed consent form) from the patient:

• Releasing a detailed statement (includes anything other than a one-word condition); the patient or his/her legal representative should approve written statements;
• Taking photographs (either video or stills) of the patient; and
• Media interviews with patients.

No photographs, audio/video recordings or interviews of patients may be taken within the facility or on hospital property without the patient’s prior written consent, or the written permission of a parent or legal representative. The release forms are available under Media Consent Forms.

Deceased or unconscious patients are not to be photographed UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, regardless of whether they are in the hospital or on hospital property.

Definitions of Patient Conditions

The following five terms are official hospital conditions, as defined by HIPAA:

• Undetermined: Patient is awaiting assessment.
• Good: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are excellent.
• Fair: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable.
• Serious: Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable.
• Critical: vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious. Indicators are unfavorable.

WCH Will NOT Release Any Information

1. When the patient requests that NO information about him/her is released.
2. When knowledge of a patient’s location within the hospital could result in embarrassment for the patient (i.e. MHU/substance abuse, miscarriage, isolation for infectious disease);
3. When knowledge of a patient’s presence or location in the hospital could place the patient, hospital employees, and/or medical staff in danger (i.e. a stalker or abusive partner);
4. When the hospital and/or members of the medical or nursing staff are, or may be, parties to litigation;
5. When the patient is in the custody of the state (DHS, incarcerated or in psychiatric care); or
6. When, in the judgment of the patient’s physician, the nursing staff or hospital official, an interview would aggravate a patient’s condition, or is inappropriate due to unique circumstances, hospital spokespersons are justified in denying access to the patient without seeking consent. As soon as circumstances permit, hospital public relations or CEO will make the request for an interview to the patient.

Death

Before information confirming a death is released to the media or others, a written authorization from the next-of-kin or the decedent’s legal representative is needed.

If the death is subject to an investigation by the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office, inquiries or requests for details should be directed to the M.E.’s office (405) 239-7141.

Matters of Public Record

While law and/or regulations require health care facilities to report a variety of information to public authorities, it is not the responsibility of facilities to provide that information in response to calls or inquiries from the media or other parties. Once the patient’s name has been provided to the CEO by the media, only the one-word condition will be given.

Requests for additional information should be directed to the appropriate public authority. The public entity will be guided by the applicable federal or state statutes as to the release of information.