Media Guidelines

The Sentara Corporate Communications & Public Relations team is your first point of contact for patient information, interviews and all stories on issues in health care.

During breaking news or crisis events, we will work to provide information and access to photos/video in a timely manner, while protecting patient privacy, ensuring safe operations and showing sensitivity to families in crisis.

We will use Sentara.com and Sentara's social media pages to provide proactive updates on major events involving multiple hospitals.

Our first duty is to patient care, safety and privacy. We are bound by federal HIPAA laws that limit the amount of Protected Health Information (PHI) we may release without specific authorization.
Sentara hospitals, medical practices, office buildings and parking lots are private property and subject to our rules of access (see Rules for Media Coverage).
Most Sentara patients are not public figures. They are entitled to privacy and they may opt out of information released about them.

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Media Contacts

For all Sentara corporate and Hampton Roads media queries, text the 24-hour Sentara Media Pager at 757-671-4971. Include your name, media outlet, what you need and your contact information.

During business hours: you can also email your request to news@sentara.com.

Use the Sentara pager or news email! You will get faster service. Our team rotates media duty day-to-day. Voice mails, texts or emails to individuals will delay our response.

If you would like to contact a certain hospital for a region-specific request or story, please use the following numbers. Use the pager or the email! You will get faster service.

We try to answer texts or pages to the Sentara Media Pager within five minutes.
Calls, texts, or emails to individual team members may delay our response.
Once we are engaged with you, we'll keep in touch via email, text or calls.

If you would like to contact a certain hospital for a region-specific request or story, please use the following numbers.

Corporate/Hampton Roads: 757-671-4971 (pager)
Sentara Albemarle Medical Center: 252-384-4075
Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital: 434-517-3136
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital: 434-654-7000
Please ask operator to page Public Relations. Specify that you need Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, give your name, organization and call-back number.

Sentara RMH Medical Center: 540-689-1000
Please ask operator to page Public Relations. Specify that you need Sentara RMH Medical Center, give your name, organization and call-back number.

Rules for Media Coverage at Sentara facilities

Call the Sentara Media Pager for all Sentara access - Even if you're just going live from a hospital parking lot, or meeting a family member outside, call the Media Pager and let us know. We will provide parking directions and inform Security to avoid access issues.
Escorts required in facilities - Contact the Media Pager to arrange escort even if you are invited by a patient, family member or physician. Give us time to work out logistics.
Patient Consent Forms required - We must obtain a signed Patient Consent form prior to media interviews.
Other patients, visitors off-limits - Position or crop all shots to avoid other patients and visitors not involved in your story.
Patient care and safety come first:
Access to patients may be denied for clinical and/or safety reasons.
We do not provide media access to ICUs for routine stories.
Sentara clinical personnel may be called away before or during an interview.
Interviews, photography and videotaping will cease upon request of the patient, a family member, nurse, physician, or authorized Sentara representative.

Rules for Patient Condition Updates

We cannot identify patients for you

- To provide a condition, we need a correct patient name and hospital location.

One-word condition reports: We use one-word condition status that is acceptable under HIPAA laws and American Hospital Association guidelines:

Undetermined: Condition has not been determined yet; patient is still being assessed.
Critical: Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious in an ICU.
Serious: Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient acutely ill.
Fair: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and lucid but may be uncomfortable or in pain.
Good: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, alert and comfortable.
Note: 'Stable' is not a patient condition.

We cannot elaborate on a patient's injuries, illness or prognosis without specific written consent by the patient or an authorized family member, such as a spouse. This is protected health information (PHI).

Deferrals to public agencies: When patients are law enforcement, firefighters or military hurt in the line of duty, or if the patient is in police custody or involved in a policy investigation, Sentara Communications may defer to the public agency or command for release of information.

Confirming patient deaths: We will confirm patient deaths after family notification.

Sentara Hospitals

Sentara Hospitals in Hampton Roads

Sentara Albemarle Medical Center (Elizabeth City, NC)
Sentara CarePlex Hospital (Hampton)
Sentara Leigh Hospital (Norfolk)
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital (Level I Trauma Center / Nightingale base)
Sentara Obici Hospital (Suffolk)
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital (Virginia Beach)
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital (Level III Trauma Center)
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center

Regional Sentara Hospitals

Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital (South Boston)
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital (Charlottesville)
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (Woodbridge)
Sentara RMH Medical Center (Harrisonburg)

Sentara Free-standing Emergency Departments (EDs)