For Media
Requests about patients
OHSU responds to media requests about patients in cooperation with the hospital's admitting staff. OHSU complies with the Oregon Code of Cooperation* regarding media interaction and patient care activities. This code balances the patient's right to privacy and well-being with the public's right to receive information.
The Oregon Code of Cooperation is published by the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, with editorial contributions from area hospital administrators and care providers, and print and broadcast journalists. The code is a set of guidelines to help facilitate accurate, ethical and timely news coverage of medical and other health-related events.
*Note: The 2003 edition of the Code of Cooperation is the most recent.
Patient conditions defined
"STABLE" is NOT a condition.
Good: Vital signs such as pulse, temperature and blood pressure are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, comfortable and there are no complications.
Fair: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and alert although may be uncomfortable or in pain and may have minor complications.
Serious: Vital signs may be unstable or outside normal limits. The patient is acutely ill or injured and may have major complications.
Critical: Vital signs are unstable or outside normal limits. There are major complications. (Most patients in an intensive care unit are considered critical until ready to be moved to a regular nursing unit.)
Communication contacts
Click any topic below to send email to its contact person. If applicable, please include your deadline date. To keep your message routed to the right person, please don't change the subject line that appears.
Don't see the topic you have in mind? call OHSU Strategic Communications at 503 494-8231.
A–D
- Animal research contributions
- Biomedical informatics
- Basic sciences
- Cancer
- Cardiology
- Casey Eye Institute
- Common health ailments
- Community involvement/community service to underserved populations
- Crisis communications
- CROET (Center for Research of Environmental Toxicology)
- Digestive health/surgery
- Disaster preparedness
E–N
- Economics of OHSU (includes budget, economic development)
- Education:
- Emergency medicine
- Health policy
- Institutional communications (includes mission, overview, history, statistics, milestones, rankings, expansion/growth, etc.)
O–Z
- Ophthalmology
- Oregon Opportunity
- Orthopaedics and rehabilitation
- Pediatrics (plus Doernbecher Childrens Hospital)
- Primate Center
- Psychiatry
- Public records
- Spine/neurosciences
- Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI)
- Women's Health (includes Center for Women's Health; Obstetrics and Gynecology)
