At Children’s Nebraska, we want to share our expertise on caring for children and adolescents with you. That’s why our Media Relations team coordinates hundreds of news stories each year for print, broadcast, and digital media outlets.
Interview An Expert
We know that you need to report accurate, clear, thorough content. Our experts are ready to speak to any topics in pediatric health.
If you are interested in interviewing an expert about these or other childhood health concerns, please contact Media Relations at [email protected]
Media Policy
Children’s Marketing Department handles all media inquiries. Calls to other areas of the organization will be directed back to Marketing because our team is most familiar with the unique needs and deadlines of the news media.
Requests For Interviews, Filming, Or Photography
Children’s has established the following guidelines for members of the news media seeking interviews or photos with patients, families, or staff:
- Per Children’s policy, media must arrange and coordinate all interviews, photography or film shoots, and any time spent on Children’s property with patients, families, and staff (including Children’s Nebraska, Children’s Physicians offices, and Children’s Home Healthcare) through Children’s Marketing Department. Please contact Children’s Media Relations team at [email protected].
- Media must be met by the Media Relations Liaison or other Marketing representative in the hospital lobby or otherwise specified location, and escorted to the interview location.
- Film crews, photographers, and reporters must always be accompanied by a member of Marketing while on Children’s properties to ensure confidentiality, privacy, and sensitivity to patients and their families.
- Written consent from a patient’s parent or legal guardian must be given before the interview, filming, or photography takes place.
- Only the child’s legal guardian will be asked to do interviews. Relatives or friends who do not have custody of the child will not be allowed to do interviews on Children’s property.
- We only approach a patient and their family one time regarding interviews. We do not follow up with multiple requests.
- A member of Children’s Marketing team may deny media access to a patient if it is determined the presence of media will aggravate the patient’s condition or otherwise interfere with clinical care or the hospital environment.
Requests For Patient Information
Children’s holds its patients’ and families’ confidentiality and privacy in the highest regard. In accordance with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), information about the condition of a patient will be released only if the inquiry specifically contains the patient’s first and last name, and the patient’s legal representative has authorized the release.
A patient, or the person authorized to give consent, can opt out of providing information altogether. In sensitive circumstances, Children’s may independently make the decision not to release any information.
A member of the media must have a patient’s first and last name before we can request or release a patient’s condition.
Here are definitions of the one-word patient conditions we can release with consent (as determined by the American Hospital Association):
- 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 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 not be conscious; indicators are unfavorable.