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University of Rochester Medical Center Public Relations and Communications

601 Elmwood Ave., Box 643
Rochester, N.Y. 14642
(585) 275-3676
fax: (585) 256-3805

The Public Relations and Communications Office is staffed 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. An on-call staff member is available for after-hours inquiries or emergencies from 5 to 11:30 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. weekends and holidays. To reach the on-call staff member, call (585) 275-2222 and ask to have the on-call public relations staff person paged. You should expect a phone call within one half-hour of your initial page.

To help expedite media inquiries, each member of our staff specializes in specific areas. If you do not find a particular issue listed, e-mail inquiries to teri_dagostino@urmc.rochester.edu.

Beat assignments

Contact Beats
Teri D'Agostino (Director)
(585) 275-3676
E-mail
Administrative issues
Patient Safety/Quality
Lori Barrette
(585) 275-1310
E-mail		 Gastronenterology
Geriatrics
Long-term Care
Otolaryngology
Pharmacy
Plastic Surgery
Women's Health
Karen Black
(585) 273-2864
E-mail		 Dentistry
Karin Christensen
(585) 275-1311
E-mail 		Cardiology
Cardiothoracic Surgery
HIV/AIDS vaccine studies
Ophthalmology
Transplant (heart, liver, kidney)
Vascular
Susan Fandel
(585) 273-4494
E-mail		 Nursing Education and Research
Heather Hare
(585) 273-2840
E-mail
 Pediatrics
Rebecca Jones
(585) 275-8490
E-mail		 Allergies
Infectious Diseases
Rheumatology
Thoracic and Foregut Surgery
Mark Michaud
(585) 273-4790
E-mail		 Biotechnology/TechnologyTransfer
Community Health
Economic Development
Government Relations
Neurology
Leslie Orr
(585) 275-5774
E-mail		 Biomedical Genetics
Biostatistics
Cancer (research)
Community/Preventive Medicine (research)
Emergency Medicine (research)
Family Medicine (research)
Women's Health (research)
Germaine Reinhardt
(585) 275-6517
E-mail
Burns
Emergency Medicine
Imaging Sciences
Neurosurgery
Orthopaedics/Musculoskeletal
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Trauma
Urology
Tom Rickey
(585) 275-7954
E-mail		 Dermatology (research)
Environmental Medicine
Infectious Diseases (research)
Neurology (research)
Neurosurgery (research)
Ophthalmology (research)
Otolaryngology (research)
Rheumatology (research)
Urology (research)
Katie Sauer
(585) 276-4298
E-mail		 Pediatrics
Poison and Drug Information Center
Michael Wentzel
(585) 275-1309
E-mail		 Behavioral Health
Medical Education (School of Medicine and Dentistry)
Nursing -- Clinical Practice
Leslie White
(585) 273-1119
E-mail 		Cancer
Greg Williams
(585) 273-1757
E-mail		 Anesthesiology (research)
Biochemistry (research)
Biomedical Engineering (research)
Cardiology (research)
Metabolism (research)
Microbiology (research)
Oral Biology (research)
Orthopaedics (research)
Pharmacology (research)
Psychiatry (research)
Surgery (research)

Arranging interviews

We are happy to connect you with the sources you need for your stories.  Advanced notice is appreciated, and often leads to more access for you.  We urge you to first call or E-mail us about your story, even if you have direct contact information for your source.  Often, we can supply you with background information, or additional sources if your first choice does not work out.

Without exception, TV crews and photographers must receive permission from our office before taping or broadcasting on Medical Center grounds. We can help scout out locations for your shoots and alert security to ensure your filming goes smoothly. 

Patient conditions

On April 14, 2003, a new federal law (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) went into effect that greatly limits the information that can be given on hospital patients. Among HIPAA’s provisions are standards for releasing medical information about patients to the media. Hospitals now maintain a directory that includes only a patient's name, location in the hospital, general condition and religious affiliation. Patients have the choice to be included in the directory or to opt out. If a patient chooses to be listed in the directory, limited information on the patient may be released as long as a reporter has a patient’s correct first and last name. In addition, HIPAA does not allow the release of any information on a minor (under age 18), regardless if a name is supplied, without specific prior consent by the parent.

Patient conditions can be accessed by calling (585) 275-2181. If a reporter has the correct first and last name of a patient, and that patient has not opted out of the system, Strong Memorial Hospital can supply a reporter only with one of the following general conditions:

Conditions of patients in the emergency department generally will be available only when they have the opportunity to opt-in or out of the directory. Again, without a name, we are unable to release any information, and will tell you “we have no information on a patient by that name.”

If a reporter does not ask for the patient by the correct full name, information cannot be released. Nor can we confirm if a patient is at our hospital if he/she has opted out of the directory, even if the police confirm that a crime victim has been sent to Strong Memorial.

If you have questions about HIPAA, please contact the Public Relations office at (585) 275-3676 or view HIPAA information on the American Hospital Association website

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