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The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s (HIPAA) medical privacy regulations govern the use and release of a patient's personal health information, also known as “protected health information� (PHI). It establishes a minimum acceptable threshold for the use and release of a patient’s health information. State and federal law and hospital policies may establish stricter standards.

When the media want to interview or photograph a patient, the hospital's authorized spokesperson will check with the appropriate hospital staff to ensure the patient is physically and emotionally capable.

The hospital's authorized spokesperson must obtain the patient's permission. If the patient is a minor, permission must be obtained from the parent or legal guardian. If the patient is under arrest, permission also must be obtained from the law enforcement officer in charge of the patient's custody. Media representatives will be accompanied by a hospital public relations professional or other appropriate staff at all times while in the hospital.

There are occasions when local and state law enforcement report information about someone who may be a patient. This does not mean that the hospital can disclose or confirm any information related to that patient.

Public information about a death will be disclosed after efforts have been made to notify the next-of-kin. Hospitals cannot share information with the media on the specifics about sudden, violent or accidental deaths, or deaths from natural causes, without the permission of the decedent’s next-of-kin or other legal representative.