VCU news

By Anne Buckley

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Office of Communications and Public Relations periodically reminds members of the news media of the guidelines for reporting on VCU’s campuses and at the VCU Medical Center.

VCU welcomes news media to our campuses just as the public is welcome. But neither the public nor reporters have a right to indiscriminate access to VCU or VCU Health System buildings or other facilities. It is OCPR policy to be as helpful as possible to news media seeking access to facilities while upholding the university’s mission of teaching, research and patient care, and maintaining the reasonable privacy expectation of students, faculty, staff, patients and others.

Guidelines are posted on the information for news media page: http://www.news.vcu.edu/media/

Media guidelines at the VCU Medical Center

OCPR staff pays particular attention to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and other regulations involving patient confidentiality.

Media representatives MUST contact the Office of Communications and Public Relations, 828-1231, to request access to the hospital and patients. Access to patients is at the discretion of the VCU Medical Center.

Patients who agree to be interviewed on the health system premises must provide prior written consent and an OCPR representative must be present. Hospital security will remove unauthorized media personnel from the VCU Medical Center as necessary.

Live shots on the medical campus are restricted to 11th and Clay streets. Media will also be staged here during breaking news events.

Nomenclature/proper use of name

• The correct name of the hospital in all uses is the VCU Medical Center.
• The hospital is governed by the VCU Health System.
• Medical students are educated at the VCU School of Medicine.