Media, fans, staff adjust to injury release changes

Last week, a car struck junior water polo defender Emily Schmitt, leaving her hospitalized. Bloomington Police reports stated Schmitt suffered a fractured spine, but once the season opener rolls around, more details will be hard to come by.\nBecause of a federal restriction passed two years ago, fans shouldn't get much more information about Schmitt's injury. The reason for this withholding of information was the implementation of the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act on April 14, 2003.\nHIPAA is designed to "provide patients with access to their medical records and more control over how their personal health information is used and disclosed," according to the original press release issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.\nThe legislation applies to all kinds of medical care, not just sports injuries, but has definitely made an impact on the sports world. \nAccording to the act, the only information that can be released to the media concerning an injury is what part of the body has been injured and the player's status -- whether it is day-to-day or several months.\n"HIPAA was enacted to protect an individual's medical history/care and to keep it private," said Tim Garl, head trainer for IU men's basketball. "It's important to realize that HIPAA impacts everyone, not just \nstudent-athletes."\nThe main effect the legislation will have on media relations departments is that releasing specific details about a player's injury is prohibited unless the patient wants to release his or her personal \ninformation. \n"Any release of medical information can only be done with the express written consent of the patient," Garl said. "A student-athlete's well-being is our top priority, and informing the media or public of any medical conditions is prohibited. As a result, public release of medical information is kept to a minimum within the parameters of the law."\nPete Rhoda, director of athletic media relations at IU, comes in direct contact with the patient-privacy issue, but he sees how the situation needs to be handled between media relations, medical staffs and fans. \n"The key is communication," Rhoda said. "(IU has) an outstanding sports medicine staff, and they relay to the media relations staff only the pertinent information regarding an injury. It is no different than an NFL injury report that you see in the paper -- it lists the part of the body that is injured and whether the player is out, doubtful, day-to-day or probable."\nRhoda believes it is essential all individuals involved with sports, both on and off the field, understand the importance of HIPAA.\n"We are continuing to educate our media, our coaches and our student-athletes about HIPAA, and how important it is to abide by this law," Rhoda said. "I support HIPAA because I feel that it provides clear parameters for releasing injury information"