Media Contacts
Releasing Patient Information
Jupiter Medical Center follows the American Hospital Association's
guidelines for the release of patient information. These guidelines are
necessary to protect the confidentiality of our patients, which is always
our primary concern. We will always do our best to fulfill media requests.
When contacting us about a patient's condition, media representatives
must have the patient's full name (no nicknames).
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),
we can only provide a one-word patient condition. Following are the patient
conditions we provide, and definitions, as stated by the American Hospital
Association:
Definitions of Patient Conditions
- Undetermined. Patient awaiting physician and 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 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 be unconscious. Indicators are unfavorable.
HIPAA Regulations
As more health information is stored and transferred electronically, Congress
recognized the need to develop national patient privacy standards and
enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
of 1996. The privacy standards went into effect April 14, 2003.
HIPAA mandates that all healthcare providers, such as Jupiter Medical Center,
adopt standards related to the protection and security of identifiable
health information.
For more information about Jupiter Medical Center's privacy policies
and HIPAA regulations, contact:
William Gruitza, JD CHC, Corporate Compliance Officer & Privacy Officer
Jupiter Medical Center
1210 S. Old Dixie Hwy
Jupiter, FL 33458
(561) 263-2234
William.Gruitza@jupitermed.com