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Media Toolkit

Yukon Hospital Corporation operates Whitehorse General Hospital, Dawson City Community Hospital, and Watson Lake Community Hospital, providing safe and excellent care to people across the Yukon.

 
Quick Facts

Learn more about our hospitals' health programs, services, facts and figures here.

 
Media Requests

Yukon Hospitals’ Communications Department works with members of the media to research information requests, coordinate interviews, help reporters navigate our facilities and seek patient consent when needed.

Members of the news media need to obtain authorization from the Communications Department before coming into the hospitals for photos, filming or interviews.

 
Access to Patient Information

Our patients’ health, safety and privacy are paramount. However, we also want to balance these matters with a reporter’s desire to share information with the public.

Our hospitals are bound by Yukon’s Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPP) and Health Information Privacy Management Act (HIPMA). This means information about current or former patients is confidential and will not be released to media or to members of the public without written consent from patients (or substitute decision maker). This includes:

  • Confirming a patient’s age, gender, hometown, current status, or location
  • Providing information about the nature of a patient’s injuries or illness
  • Interviewing, photographing, or recording (audio or video) a patient while in hospital

The reporter must provide the full name and correct spelling for the patient in question. The patient (or designated decision-maker) will then either consent to what details can be released or refuse to have updates of any kind provided. The individual can also withdraw consent at any time.

The Communications team will endeavor to provide information to media in a timely manner. In all situations, we must defer to the physician or nurse, who determines the most appropriate time to request consent. There are times when information cannot be released, such as when it interferes with a police investigation or court proceeding, violates or appears to violate a law, or when it could have an adverse effect on a patient in the opinion of a physician or nurse involved in the patient’s care.


More Hospital Information & Resources

A-Z Programs & Services
Measuring Our Performance
Publications
Our Hospitals