The AHA's Latest Patient Confidentiality Guidelines
In the last issue, we covered generating positive hospital coverage and patients' rights. Below are some of the latest guidelines issued by the American Hospital Association.
Patient Condition: Patients have the option to state whether information can be released about their condition - including confirmation of their presence. "No information" requests are rare, according to Carol Schadelbauer, the AHA's senior associate director of media relations, who said that most patients are comfortable with the commonly used one-word descriptors for medical conditions.
Diagnosis: Only a physician can determine the patient's diagnosis and/or prognosis. With the exception of these one-word conditions - undetermined, good, fair, serious and critical - no information about the patient's condition should be released.
Disasters (Natural/Terrorist): Existing disaster plans, including provisions for media relations, should be implemented when an incident involving mass casualties occur and should emphasize key components like: patient information should not be released until next-of-kin has been notified; info. should be made available to the media as soon as possible; and a press conference should be scheduled on the premises. (AHA, 202/626-2342)
Feedback: Talk to the Media!
When we asked what Columbia/HCA should do about its ongoing public image problems (HPRMN, 8/21/97), you responded in a big way. Here's what some of you had to say:
Elizabeth Connor, healthcare consultant, Tallahassee, Fla.
I think there's a danger in Columbia overreacting. Columbia should assess the extent and location of any damage it has sustained before trying to fix the problem. An aggressive campaign, in some markets, may create a problem where none existed.
In any case, Columbia executives should reconsider the practice of not working with members of the media. This is especially important on the local level, where the marketing focus appears to be headed.
As a healthcare consultant, I have had the opportunity to work with Columbia facilities on high profile or controversial projects. In some markets - Columbia will not initiate contact with the press and only grudgingly responds to press inquiries. Having an antagonistic relationship with the press is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Lisa Legando, independent consultant Sandusky, Ohio
In order to put Columbia/HCA's whole communications crisis into perspective, you really have to consider it from the perspective of the media. They believe that the public has a right to hear and be informed about all the on-goings of society, especially problems that could affect their lives and well-being.
People are far more likely to be skeptical of big business than to side with it. It will take more than just talking about all the good things going on at the "new" Columbia... the organization must deal honestly with the media and be able to back up their information with performance.
When the media asks a question, it is important to tell the truth and tell it fast. A couple of days of negative coverage could turn into a couple of months of negative coverage if you force the media to dig for facts. They'll consider it even more of a breaking story if information is hard to come by.
Before making any major communications moves, Columbia needs to determine how serious the public perception damage and organizational situation is.
This could be accomplished by conducting random community perception surveys in individual regions throughout the nation.
Once assessed, the situation should be addressed with communications to employees that would soon be echoed outward to the public and media. The messages communicated should be centered around the company's growth, change, adaptation ability to be strong, stable and forthright in the future. Image marketing will be the key.
Jim Lukaszewski of The Lukaszewski Group, White Plains, NY
Columbia/HCA's major challenge now is to find a moral and ethical compass to influence its operating decisions. There was no process in place to counterbalance and effectively forecast the ultimate outcome of management behavior.
This is a key role senior PR counsel needs to play. Columbia/HCA's "bust 'em in the chops" approach even extended to its outside consultants, including PR consultants, many of whom took pleasure in humiliation, bullying and manipulation. The money and power were intoxicating.
My recommendations are:
Priority 1: Resolve the operating and managerial issues, Reverse the devastation of the organization and its morale. Current criminal investigations will probably create the kind of shock people need to get back to reality, or to leave.
Priority 2: Tend to the victims: Including communities that have been betrayed and abused and organizations that have been humiliated.
Priority 3: Revitalize the moral and ethical basis necessary for restoring employee morale. Many employees - current and former - feel they are really the victims. They need intensive and direct relationship repair.
Priority 4: Tend to those who are indirectly affected or involuntarily involved: vendors, legislators, community and businesses.
Priority 5: Communicate to interested bystanders like the media. However, mindless publicity is not essential to fixing the problems the new Columbia/HCA faces.
Yes, Columbia's issues involve many levels of communication, but public and media communications have relatively low priorities.
It's far more important that the organization communicate directly with those lives and futures it has affected. In many respects in these circumstances, it doesn't matter what the media say or do.