The communications staff at Regional One Health strives to maintain positive working relationships with the news media by providing timely access to health and patient information.
Media Inquiries
All media contact with patients, families, physicians or staff must be directed through the Regional One Health communications and marketing department.
For patient condition updates, contact the communications office at 901-545-6715 during normal business hours. For patient condition reports after hours and on weekends, contact the nursing house supervisor at 901-545-8326.
For interview requests, contact the communications office at 901-545-6715 during normal business hours.
Normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Patient Confidentiality
Health systems are responsible for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of their patients and patient information. Regional One Health follows the regulations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which dictates the information from a patient’s medical record that may or may not be released.
News media must provide the patient’s first and last name when asking for information. Regional One Health may provide a one-word condition for the patient. We may not disclose the nature of illness or injuries or any additional information about the patient.
In addition, patients have the right to “opt out” of providing information altogether. When a patient requests that no information be shared, hospital representatives will not be able to provide a condition or confirm or deny a patient’s presence in the hospital.
Patient Condition Reports
Regional One Health may provide a one-word patient condition when the media representative provides the first and last name of the patient. The patient conditions and definitions include the following:
- Undetermined: Patient’s condition is being assessed. Medical staff has not assigned a condition.
- 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 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.
- Treated and Released: Patient received treatment but was not admitted.
- “Stable” is not a patient condition as it may apply to several conditions.
Campus Visits and Patient/Family Interviews
Please remember that Regional One Health, including the hospital, physician offices and outpatient facilities, is private property.
News media must receive prior permission to interview or photograph a patient or a family member on hospital property. Please contact the communications and marketing department with your request, and we will obtain written consent from the interviewee and coordinate the interview. Access to patients may be denied at the patient’s request or if it is determined that the presence of photographers or reporters will aggravate the patient’s condition or interfere with patient care. Interviews of patients located in critical care units in the hospital are not permitted.
Media representatives must be accompanied by a communications and marketing team member while on our property to ensure the privacy of other patients is maintained. Media may film from the sidewalk across the street from the hospital or outpatient facilities without a communications team member present. However, security reserves the right to ask media to relocate if their presence is interfering in traffic or access to the facility. We understand and respect the media’s duty to keep the public informed, but our first priority is to protect the safety and privacy of our patients and guests.