Communications The Communications Department for the Colorado Hospital Association serves three primary purposes. - to provide the media with up-to-date information regarding Colorado hospitals and health systems
- to inform the public about important issues facing Colorado hospitals and their patients
- to be a resource to our member hospitals and health systems about developments affecting hospitals
Information is available in various publications, news releases, and the members' CHA HealthBEAT, a weekly news update. Guide to News Media Relations for Hospitals, Physicians and the Media Integral to providing information to the media and the public is ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of patient information in accordance with state laws and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA. Representatives from CHA, the Colorado Medical Society, the Colorado Press Association and the Colorado Broadcasters Association developed and disseminated a Guide outlining how the media and health care providers work together to protect patient privacy, and hospital and physician rights, while allowing the media and the public access to appropriately released health and medical information. This collaborative effort dates to 1948 when the first Guide was published. The Guide is updated periodically to reflect changes in laws, rules, regulations, and advances in media technology. The current version of the Guide is dated April 2004. The Guide attempts to balance the public's interest with the best interests of patients, taking into account privacy and confidentiality laws and rules. The Guide covers release of information about patients, cases of public record, newsworthy and public figures, standard definitions of patient condition, and release of information in mass casualties. It includes a summary of federal and Colorado state laws concerning medical confidentiality. CHA provides general assistance to members in interpreting the guidelines and works with member hospitals to keep the media informed about the guidelines. For more information, please contact CHA.
Media Relations
CHA helps to educate reporters about health care issues, setting context and providing background for many stories. CHA responds to reporters as an outside expert on a wide range of stories including health care delivery systems, patient safety, federal and state laws, hospitals charges, charity care, cost shifting and a variety of changing issues. Hospitals are alerted to reporter calls and requests.
Consumer Complaints
CHA communications works informally to resolve consumer / patient complaints it receives against Colorado hospitals that have not been otherwise addressed to the satisfaction of the individual. CHA has no legal authority to bind any party, but often can intervene so the patient's complaint is heard.
|
Member Services