Key takeaways
- Grateful patients and their families are often a health foundation's most motivated donors.
- HIPAA allows hospitals to use only limited patient information for fundraising, and every fundraising communication must offer a clear way to opt out.
- Work with your privacy officer before any patient-based calling campaign.
Who to call
- Grateful patients and families, within the limits of your privacy policy.
- Current and lapsed donors to the foundation.
- Community members, auxiliary volunteers and employees.
- Event guests and sponsors for galas, golf outings and runs.
The HIPAA fundraising rules
Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR 164.514(f)), a hospital may use or share certain limited information for its own fundraising without a patient's written authorization: demographic and contact information, dates of care, department of service, treating physician, outcome information and health insurance status. Each fundraising communication must give the patient a clear and conspicuous chance to opt out of future fundraising, and the hospital may not send further fundraising communications to someone who opts out. The hospital's notice of privacy practices must also say it may contact patients for fundraising.
In practice, callers should never mention a diagnosis or treatment details, and every call should give the opt-out. Confirm your program with your privacy officer and counsel.
Tips for health fundraising calls
- Lead with gratitude for the care team, not the patient's condition.
- Let patients share their own story if they want to; don't ask.
- Offer specific, tangible ways to help, such as a unit, program or equipment.
- Record opt-outs immediately and across every channel.
How KFG helps
Kensington Fundraising Group runs donor renewal, reactivation and event calls for health foundations, with scripts reviewed by your team and opt-out handling built in. See our event fundraising calls and fundraising call rules.