Media Contact

For media inquiries, please contact:

Melissa Merrifield 
Marketing Director 
Office: (515) 282-2496
Cell: (515) 601-2647
mmerrifield@broadlawns.org

Patient Conditions

When contacting us about a patient's condition, media representatives must have the patient's full name. Please note, patients have the option to expressly state that they do not want information released, including confirmation of their presence in the facility. 

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), we can only provide a one-word patient condition. The following are the patient conditions we can provide, as stated by the American Hospital Association:

  • Undetermined. Patient is awaiting physician 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.

  • Treated and Released. Received treatment but not admitted.

  • Treated and Transferred. Received treatment. Transferred to a different facility.

  • Confirming patient deaths. We will report or confirm a patient’s death only after signed consent from next of kin

Patient Consent

Patients who are interviewed, videotaped or photographed within a Broadlawns Medical Center facility must first sign a Broadlawns Media Consent Form. Broadlawns media relations staff are authorized to obtain a patient consent and will work with medical staff to ensure that patient is medically capable of participating.

Media Escorts

To protect patient confidentiality within HIPAA guidelines, members of the media must be escorted by a member of the Broadlawns media relations staff while visiting the hospital campus and clinics, including Broadlawns Medical Center, Broadlawns Cityville Clinic, Broadlawns East University Clinic, and Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake.