About INTEGRIS Health

Media Guidelines

1.0 Purpose

To provide whenever possible the degree of privacy requested by the patient or patient’s family while also providing the news media accurate and appropriate information when necessary.

2.0 Policy

2.1 The guidelines contained in this policy govern response from all INTEGRIS Health hospitals and/or facilities (the word “facilities” is to include INTEGRIS outpatient locations and clinics as well) to inquiries from the news media regarding public information. It is the policy of INTEGRIS Health to be honest and helpful to the news media within the guidelines of patient privacy and the law. In particular, this policy meets guidelines and criteria set forth in federal law by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

2.2 Inquiries from the news media are to be channeled through people designated by each hospital or facility to handle corporate communications/public relations.

2.3 Any time the news media arrives at an INTEGRIS Health hospital/facility or phones to say they are coming, the person or department designated to handle corporate communications is to be notified. Media representatives are required to check in with such staff members, and will be escorted by them while on INTEGRIS premises. NO filming or interviewing is allowed without a corporate communications or administrative person in attendance, unless appropriate arrangements can be made. At no time should the media be admitted to the floor or an examining room without an escort by a corporate communications or administrative person.

2.4 The news media may be held in a lobby until someone designated to handle corporate communications arrives. The news media should not be left unattended.

2.5 It is INTEGRIS Health policy to protect the interests and rights of patients and their families, while maintaining the highest standards of communication with the news media. Therefore, corporate communications reserves the right to disallow interview and photography requests if the privacy of patients or the integrity of INTEGRIS services, facilities, programs, physicians or employees may be jeopardized.

Condition Reports

The following one-word condition reports describe a patient's current condition.

• Undetermined: Patient is awaiting physician assessment or is currently being evaluated by a physician.
• Good: Vital signs (such as pulse, temperature and blood pressure) are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are excellent.
• Fair: Vital signs stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable and may have minor complications. Indicators are favorable.
• Serious: Vital signs may be unstable or not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable, although there is a chance for improved outlook.
• Critical: Vital signs unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious, with major complications. Outlook is unfavorable.
• Death: Death of a patient can be released only after the family is notified and permission has been granted from the family’s legal representative. If a patient is of sufficient prominence, the hospital will attempt to notify news media after securing permission from the family of the deceased. Cause of death may only be released by the state medical examiner's office.

Note: “Vital” according to Dorland’s Medical Dictionary, 26th Edition (1985), means “necessary to, or pertaining to life.” “Stable” is not a condition and should not be used in the place of one of the above.

INTEGRIS Health Media Requests

Marketing and communications staff must escort all broadcast or print media and photographers while visiting any INTEGRIS Health facility or campus. Please contact us to arrange all video and photoshoots, and interviews.

Phone: 405-64-I NEWS