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Patient Portal (345) 949-8600

Media Policy

Thank you for visiting the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) Media page. Our Communications Unit responds to media enquiries for all HSA facilities across the Cayman Islands. However, if the media enquiry is public health-related, it must be directed to the Public Health Promotion Officer. Public Health related matters include:

  • Health advice and vaccines for international travelers
  • School Health includes primary care, health assessments, vision, and hearing tests etc.
  • Nutrition and dietary counselling
  • Child health including growth and development monitoring
  • Communicable disease screening
  • Disease control, including surveillance, immunization (adults and children)
  • Special programmes relating to genetics and sexual health

Media Policies and Procedures

The HSA Communications Unit handles all public relations and corporate communications, excluding those about public health. A communications representative can be reached during normal business hours, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday at 244-2612 or 244-2607 or by email communications@hsa.ky. After hours, a representative can be reached by calling the main hospital operator at 244-8600.

The public health officer can be reached during normal business hours, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday at 244-2632. After hours, the representative can be reached by calling the main hospital operator at 244-8600.

Working on a property of the Health Services Authority

  • To ensure the confidentiality of our patients, members of the media must be accompanied by a member of the Communications Unit, or a designated HSA representative, while on the property of any HSA facility.
  • Advance notice is required on all media interviews or photographs with HSA patients, patient families, administrators, physicians, employees, and volunteers. These requests must be cleared up and set up with the Communications Unit.
  • All patients or legal guardians must sign a consent form provided by Communications before any photos or video is taken.
  • If an interview/photo/video has been set up directly with a patient’s family and it is to be conducted on an HSA property, all procedures above must still be followed.
  • Any member of the media who enters an HSA property without clearance, within the context of conducting a story, will be asked to leave campus until proper clearance is received through the Communications Unit.
  • Access to any area of any HSA property may be limited or denied at the discretion of a patient’s healthcare team and/or the Communications Unit.

Patient Condition Reports

The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority follows strict internal confidentiality guidelines and information will be released to the media in strict accordance with these guidelines. This ensures our organization safeguards the privacy and integrity of our patients and their personal health information.

One-word conditions are permitted so long as requesting media outlets provide the first and last name of the patient in question. The conditions are defined as:

  • UNDETERMINED – Patient is awaiting, or in the middle of, physician assessment.
  • NO INFORMATION – A patient or patient representative has requested that no information be released.
  • 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 may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious, and indicators are unfavorable.

Special Cases

Please note that patients involved in matters of public record, such as those involved in an assault or other crimes, are often listed on “protective status.” Communications representatives cannot provide any information about the patient’s condition, or even confirm they are in the hospital. In some of these cases, media inquiries may be referred to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS).

High Profile and/or Mass Casualty Events

In case of high-profile events and/or large-scale incidents or disasters within the community, media will not be permitted in any emergency room or patient care areas. A designated location may be provided on hospital grounds for media updates. In some instances, media information may also be centralized through the National Hazard Management Council (NHMC) protocols.

Media Invitations from Visiting Groups

Outside organizations visiting a Health Services Authority property may invite the media to cover the visit. All policies and procedures must still be followed in these instances. Please refer to “Working on a property of the Health Services Authority” above for details.