Media Policies

Thank you for your interest in St. John Health. We value our relationships with the news media and are dedicated to working to meet your needs. Guidelines that we adhere to include:

• To arrange interviews with St. John Health experts and for information concerning St. John Health, its local operating units, its associates and patients, media should contact a public relations representative. If you need to reach a public relations representative after normal business hours or on weekends, page the representative or call the specific St. John Health hospital and ask to speak with the on-call public relations representative.
• At any St. John Health location, media must be escorted by a public relations representative or their designee while on site.
• Media members may interview and photograph/video tape patients but only after they sign the St. John Health Authorization for Photo/Interview Release. Media may not contact patients directly and must work through the public relations representative or designee.

Information on Patient's Condition

Requests for information on patient condition must go through the public relations department at the specific hospital. If you need information on a patient's condition after normal business hours or on weekends, please call one of the St. John Health hospitals  and ask to speak with the on-call public relations representative.

Due to patient privacy laws, we must limit information on patient condition to the following one-word conditions:

• Undetermined - patient is awaiting physician and/or assessment
• Good - Vital signs 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 possibly 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.
No other terms should be used to describe patient condition.