Patient Information and the Media
Our office does not provide information about patients at Stanford University Medical Center. To get patient information, please contact ithe communication offices of the two hospitals:
For adult patients -- contact the Stanford Hospital & Clinics Communications Office at (650) 723-1260. To page the on-call representative, dial (650) 723-8222 and enter pager #15226.
For pediatric patients -- contact the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital News and Communications Office at (650) 497-8364. To page the on-call representative, dial (650) 723-8222 and enter pager #18873.
Condition reports
Effective April 14, 2003, new federal regulations require hospitals to be even more vigilant in safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of patients’ medical conditions.
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, hospitals may release information about the condition of a patient only if the inquiry specifically contains the patient’s name. If the patient has not requested that information be withheld, and the request for information contains the patient’s name, hospitals will generally be able to release the patient’s condition. However, hospitals can only do so in general terms that do not communicate specific medical information. Below are the one-word descriptions hospitals can provide:
• Undetermined
• Good
• Fair
• Serious
• Critical
Although California law has permitted hospitals to release a description of the nature of a patient’s accident or injuries in the past, this is not permissible under HIPAA without written authorization from the patient. Additionally, patients have the option of requesting that hospitals disclose no information about them or even confirm their presence.