Skip to main content Skip to navigation Skip to navigation
  • 844-4CHILDRENS (844-424-4537) 844-424-4537
  • Patient Login (MyChart) Visit our MyChart Guide to learn more about how to create and use your MyChart account.
  • Employee and Provider Login
  • Pay My Bill
  • Careers
  • Donate Now
Visit the home page

No disponible en español

  • Home
  • Treatment
  • Patient Families
  • Visitors
  • Provider Resources
  • Research and Innovation
  • Health and Community Resources
  • Donate or Volunteer
Visit the home page
Call children's health Access medical records by logging in to MyChart Find Bill Pay options here Find Children's Health Locations Find Children's Health Doctors
  • Home
  • Treatment
    • Treatment Home
    • Departments and Programs
    • Conditions and Treatments
    • Preventative Care and Immunizations
    • Primary Care
      • Primary Care
      • Primary Care Home
      • When to See a Primary Care Physician
      • New Patient Information
      • Preparing for Your Appointment
    • Urgent Care
    • Emergency and Trauma Care
    • Outpatient Pharmacies
    • Specialty Pharmacy
    • Remote Patient Monitoring
    • Rehabilitation and Therapy Services
      • Rehabilitation and Therapy Services
      • Rehabilitation and Therapy Services Home
      • Integrated Therapy
    • Virtual Care
      • Virtual Care
      • Virtual Care Home
      • School-Based Programs
      • Virtual Visit
      • Virtual Visit Specialty Clinics
    • Find a Doctor or Provider
    • Find a Location
    • Request an Appointment
    • US News and World Report 2022 - 2023 Ranking

      Proud to be ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties the last five years.

  • Patient Families
    • Patient Families Home
    • Resources for Your Child
      • Resources for Your Child
      • Resources for Your Child Home
      • School Services
      • Transitioning to Adult Care
      • Activities for Kids
      • Child life
    • Parent Resources
      • Parent Resources
      • Parent Resources Home
      • Language and Interpreter Services
      • Hospital Guide
      • Social Work
      • Family Resource Library
      • Medical Records Request
      • MyChart Guide
      • MyChart Bedside
      • Preparing for Your Visit or Stay at Children's
      • Spiritual Care and Education
      • Mobile App
      • Family Advisory Network
    • Travel and Lodging
      • Travel and Lodging
      • Travel and Lodging Home
      • Patient Family Lodging
      • Public Transportation
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Billing and Insurance
      • Billing and Insurance
      • Billing and Insurance Home
      • Pay My Bill
      • Family Guide to Billing
      • Billing Dictionary
      • Financial Assistance and Support
      • Common Billing Questions
      • For Patients with Insurance
      • Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
      • Cost Estimates
    • Write a Review
    • Weather Updates
  • Visitors
    • Visitors Home
    • Policies and Procedures
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Policies and Procedures Home
      • Contacting a Patient
      • Visiting Hours and Policies
    • Hospital Guide
      • Hospital Guide
      • Hospital Guide Home
      • ATM Locations
      • Dining and Food Services
      • Gift Shops and Retail
      • Courtyard
      • Wheelchair and Disability Accessibility
      • Parking
      • WiFi and Internet Access
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Guest Relations
      • Amazon Hub Lockers
    • Amazon Lockers Logo with Lockers

      Children’s Health is proud to become the first pediatric health system in the country to offer Amazon Lockers, self-service kiosks that allow you to pick up your Amazon packages when and where you need them most – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more about Amazon Lockers.

  • Provider Resources
    • Provider Resources Home
    • Refer a Patient
      • Refer a Patient
      • Refer a Patient Home
      • Direct Admit
      • Request Transportation
      • Contact my Provider Liaison
      • Email Sign up Provider Newsletter
      • Login to Provider Portal
      • Provider Tools
      • Infusion Therapy Referrals
    • Education and Training
      • Education and Training
      • Education and Training Home
      • Fellowship and Subspecialty Training Programs
      • Pediatric Residency
      • Administrative Residency
      • Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency
      • Continuing Education
      • Pharmacy Residency
      • Clinical Pastoral Education
      • Child Life and Music Therapy Training Opportunities
      • Pediatric Emergency Services Network
      • Student Affiliations
      • Student Internships
      • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
      • Scholarships
      • Andrews Physical Therapy Residency
      • Community Partner
    • Medical Staff Services
    • Nursing Services
      • Nursing Services
      • Nursing Services Home
      • Our Nurses
      • Our Nursing Model
      • Nursing Annual Report
      • Nursing Transition to Practice Programs
  • Research and Innovation
    • Research and Innovation Home
    • Clinical Trials
      • Clinical Trials
      • Clinical Trials Home
      • Research FAQs
      • Why is Research Important?
      • Research Glossary
      • Pediatric Clinical Trials & Experimental Medication
    • Research Focus Areas
      • Research Focus Areas
      • Research Focus Areas Home
      • Cardiology
      • Endocrinology
      • Gastroenterology
      • General Surgery
      • Hematology & Oncology
      • Neonatal/Perinatal
      • Nephrology
      • Neurology/Neurosurgery
      • Pulmonology
      • Urology
    • Publications
    • Research Library
    • Innovation
      • Innovation
      • Innovation Home
      • PEDS Score
      • Hackathons
      • Telemedicine
      • Center for Clinical Simulation
      • Mobile Resources
  • Health and Community Resources
    • Health and Community Resources Home
    • Health & Wellness Library
    • Community Resources
      • Community Resources
      • Community Resources Home
      • Family Education
      • School-Based Partnerships and Programs
      • Children’s Health Care Network
      • Resources for Transgender Youth and Their Families
    • DFW Children's Health Assessment
      • DFW Children's Health Assessment
      • DFW Children's Health Assessment Home
      • Beyond ABC Symposium
    • Podcasts
    • Expansion Projects
    • Girl with a wrapped wrist

      When to take your child to an urgent care vs. the emergency room. Learn more.

  • Donate or Volunteer
    • Donate or Volunteer Home
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Home
      • Adult Volunteer Program
      • Student Volunteer Program
      • Volunteer Dogs
      • Group Service Projects and Events
    • Donate
      • Donate
      • Donate Home
      • Donate Items
      • Make a Financial Gift
      • Handcrafted Items
    • Share Your Story
{}
Media Guidelines

Media Guidelines

The primary focus of the Children’s Health℠ media relations team is the safety and privacy of the staff, patients and families we serve, adhering to the guidelines of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). With that in mind, media should be aware of the following guidelines when pursuing stories or interviews with Children’s Health, including patients, families, medical personnel or staff:

  • Media Contact: All contact by the media must be made through the Children’s Health media relations department. The media relations team will set up interviews with patient families, doctors and/or any Children’s Health staff when possible.
  • On-Campus Media: Per hospital policy, any member of the media (including reporters, photographers and videographers) must be escorted by a Children’s Health media relations representative at all times while on property.
  • Interviews with Staff or Physicians: A media relations representative must be present during any media interviews with Children’s Health staff or physicians, whether in person or by phone.
  • Live Shots/Exterior Filming: Media wanting to film outside the hospital or any other facility must make the media relations team aware so they can notify Children’s Health security. When shooting the exterior of the hospital, media should avoid filming any patients or families who may be walking in or out.
  • Patient Photography/Interviews: Written permission is required from the patients’ parents or legal guardians prior to any media interviews or photos/videos, including those taken during hospital events. All requests for patient interviews or photography must be authorized by the Children’s Health media relations team, who will obtain the necessary consents and make the media aware of who can and cannot be interviewed or filmed.
  • Condition Reports: Per HIPAA, Children’s Health cannot share any information about a hospitalized child unless his/her parent or guardian has given prior written permission to release this information.
    • Any media calling for a condition update must be able to provide the patient’s full name and age before the media relations team can request an update. Then, it is up to the parent or guardian to decide whether any information will be released.
    • If a patient’s parent or guardian lists him or her as a “no-information patient,” Children’s Health cannot confirm or deny that the child is located at our facility, nor can we provide condition reports.
    • When a condition report is permitted, it will be limited to one of the following descriptions:
      • Good: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. The patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are good or excellent.
      • Fair: Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. The patient is conscious but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable.
      • Serious: Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. the patient is acutely ill, and indicators are questionable. The patient may or may not be conscious.
      • Critical: Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Major complications involved. The patient may or may not be conscious; death may be imminent.
      • Treated and Released: The patient was here but has been released.

Style for Journalists

Children’s Medical Center has evolved as a health system to become Children’s Health℠, which includes our hospitals in Dallas and Plano and the primary care practices and specialty centers throughout Texas.

Children’s Health℠ refers to the system as a whole and is appropriate for general and broad use in media.

Please note: Please avoid abbreviations or generic names which are not endorsed by Children’s Health, including: Children’s Hospital, Children’s, CMCD, CH or Children’s Dallas.

Please use Children’s Medical Center Foundation when referencing any affiliations, activities or donations to the development arm of Children’s Health.

Preferred styles for use in external communications

Preferred Children’s Health Style

  • The system has unified all offerings under Children’s Health℠.
  • The preferred style for the system on first reference for any external communication is: Children’s Health℠. The use of the “℠” is not needed on subsequent references.
  • On second reference and thereafter, Children’s Health is the preferred proper name.

When to use Children’s Medical Center

  • When referring to a specific hospital either in Dallas or Plano, the preferred proper name is: Children’s Medical Center Dallas or Children’s Medical Center Plano.
  • On second reference and thereafter, Children’s Medical Center is the preferred proper name.

When to use Children’s Health℠ Pediatric Group (formerly known as MyChildren’s)

  • When referring to the physician offices, the preferred proper name is: Children’s Health℠ Pediatric Group or Children’s Health℠ Pediatric Group Bachman (or insert other geographic location).
  • On second reference and thereafter, Children’s Health Pediatric Group is the preferred proper name or simply Children’s Health.

When to use Children’s Health℠ Specialty Center

  • When referring to the specialty centers, the preferred proper name is: Children’s Health℠ Specialty Center or Children’s Health℠ Specialty Center Plano (or insert other geographic location).
  • On second reference and thereafter, Children’s Health Specialty Center is the preferred proper name or simply Children’s Health.

When referring to a doctor, nurse or other professional

  • Please use the appropriate professional designation after their name, which may include M.D., D.D.S., D.O., Ph.D., RN, etc. – example: John Smith, M.D., Children’s Health℠ Pediatric Group.
  • On second reference and thereafter, please use Dr. Smith.
  • If the professional is also affiliated with UT Southwestern, please include their title with UT Southwestern as well.

Download our Media Style Guide

Share:
8fabbff8-3f82-4277-8a88-e375371e7d09
  • Media Guidelines
  • Press Releases
  • Press Contacts
  • Media Library
Follow Children's Health on social media
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Linked In
Subscribe to our email newsletter
1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, Texas 75235 844-4CHILDRENS 844-424-4537
  • Why Children's Health
  • About Us
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Our Difference
  • Our People
  • Sustainability Program
  • Working at Children's Health
  • Careers
  • Employee Resources
  • Billing and Insurance
  • Cost Estimates
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Terms of Use
  • Quality and Safety
  • Complaint Resolution
  • International Patient Services
  • CHNA Report
  • Supplier Portal
  • Media Toolkit
  • Newsroom
  • Gain template information in the Brand Center
  • Shop Children's Health
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
Badge: Institutional member - Children's Hospital Association

© 2022 Children's Health. All rights reserved.