We often report vehicle crashes or other incidents in which people are injured. Our threshold for when we report these accidents is usually whether the injured person spent the night at a hospital. But ever since Congress strengthened patient privacy rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (or HIPAA), finding out whether a patient is still at the hospital where the ambulance took them is a hit-and-miss prospect, as is getting that patient’s condition.

At one time in the not-so-distant past, reporters could simply call a hospital, and nearly anyone there could tell you a patient’s condition. But after the patient privacy law was revised a few years ago, most hospitals designated this job to specific people. That’s because patients can sue a hospital that unjustly reveals patient information to the media or anyone else who shouldn’t have that information. I certainly understand why some patients wouldn’t want certain things on their medical charts revealed to the media. But it sure has been frustrating just trying to get the basics from some hospitals.

In our region, the biggest trauma center — Central Washington Hospital — has a set policy and several people who will respond to our calls. Usually, when a patient is taken to Central, we can get their condition, or we’re told that they were treated and released, or treated and transferred to another facility, in plenty of time for our 9:30 morning deadline.

Some of the smaller hospitals in our area, however, seem to have to review their policy every time we call. We virtually never get a patient’s condition from the Okanogan Douglas Hospital in Brewster. They do call back, but say only that they can’t release that information. Most other hospitals I call readily release the one-word condition, but it may take several hours for me to get that information, because the one person designated to release it to the media isn’t in yet, or they’re busy. I’ll get a call back at noon sometimes. By then, we’ve already printed the story that says hospital officials weren’t available to release the patient’s condition. Sometimes, we’re left with deciding whether to report that in the next day’s edition, which would require yet another call the next morning, to update the patient’s condition.

On Monday, I was on my third call to North Valley Hospital in Tonasket to find out the condition of a patient taken there after a motorcycle accident. I had left messages for the nursing director and the administrative secretary, and sent an e-mail. This time, the receptionist transferred me to a nurse, who asked me to hold for a minute. When she returned, she told me the patient says he’s doing fine, and expects to be released today. He told her it was fine to release that information, and more, to The Wenatchee World. She told me what bones were fractured, and more. It was the first time I’ve had someone respond in a common-sense way to the question of patient privacy.

It’s a fine line, this patient privacy thing. I would appreciate knowing from readers how important it is to them to know the condition of the patient, and whether we should be pressing harder for that information.