Guidelines for news media and filming at Penn Medicine

All members of the press must be escorted by a Communications department staff member when visiting Penn Medicine facilities. During influenza season, members of the media visiting our hospitals and other clinical facilities may be asked to provide proof of having received a flu and COVID-19 vaccination.  

Patient conditions and sources  

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations protect the privacy of medical information. Our department is committed to cooperating with media as appropriate while guaranteeing that we comply with HIPAA regulations and respect patient privacy.  

Patient conditions  

Please contact our office at 215-662-2560 to request patient conditions. You must provide the patient's first and last name, with the correct spelling, and, if possible, the patient's date of birth. In most cases, we will be able to provide a one-word condition—Good, Fair, Serious, or Critical—or indicate that the person is deceased or has been discharged. The term “stable” only refers to a patient's vital signs. We will not provide the time and date of a patient's death or discharge.  

Patient sources  

Besides providing expert commentary, we also make arrangements for patients to speak about specific conditions or treatments. Please be aware that, because of HIPAA regulations, it may take some time to identify such patients. We will make every effort to meet reporters’ deadlines.  

Filming, photography, and taping guidelines  

For our patients’ safety and privacy, permission and an escort from the Department of Communications are both required for all photo, film or video capture on the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine campus and clinical areas, including all Penn Medicine hospitals and facilities.  

Photography and filming/recording will be allowed only during times that are least likely to be disruptive to patient safety and privacy, the academic process, and student life.  

For commercial filming  

Anyone who wishes to film on campus for commercial, non-news purposes must submit in writing detailed information about the proposed project, including:  

• Locations requested  
• Date and time of shooting  
• Length of shooting  
• Number of people involved in each day’s shooting  
• Type of activity to be filmed, taped or photographed  
• List of equipment and vehicles used in connection with the project  
• Sizes and composition of structures that will be used in the shoot  

All movie scripts must be reviewed and approved by the Penn Medicine Department of Communications.  

No mention is to be made of, or recognition given to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine or the Health System unless specifically authorized.  

Any person or company requesting content capture on the campus for commercial use is required to work with Penn Medicine Communications and Penn’s General Counsel’s Office to negotiate fees and specific terms of the agreement.  

A certificate of insurance is required, naming the University of Pennsylvania, its officers, employees and agents as additional insured, providing comprehensive general liability insurance, including personal injury and property damage.  

All location fees are due on the day of the shoot. Additional expenses (such as for Penn Police or Facilities Services) will be the responsibility of the requesting agency or production company.  

On-campus multimedia facilities  

We can provide on-campus studio facilities to media for interviews of faculty, administrators and staff. The studio is located in the Jordan Medical Education Center. Call 215-662-2560 to schedule an interview.