If patients have any questions concerning patient’s privacy, patient’s rights or patient’s responsibilities they can call the Case Management Office at 666-6399, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Patient Rights

The basic rights of human beings for independence of expression, decision, and action and concern for personal dignity and human relationship are always of great importance.  During sickness, however, their presence or absence becomes vital, deciding factors in survival and recovery.  Thus, it becomes a prime responsibility for hospitals to endeavor to assure that these rights are preserved for their patients.

In providing care, hospitals have the right to expect behavior on the part of patients and their relatives and friends, which, considering the nature of their illness, is reasonable and responsible.

This statement does not presume to be all-inclusive.  It is intended to convey Joint Commission’s concern about the relationship between hospitals and patients and to emphasize the need for observance of the rights and responsibilities of patients.

The following basic rights and responsibilities of patients are considered reasonably applicable to all hospitals:

Patient Rights

Access to Care:

Individuals shall be accorded impartial access to treatment or accommodations that are available or medically indicated, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, or sources of payment for care.

Respect and Dignity

The patient has the right to considerate, respectful care at all times and under all circumstances, with recognition of his personal dignity.

Privacy and Confidentiality

The patient has the right, within the law, to personal and informational privacy, as manifested by the following rights:

• To refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the hospital, including visitors, or persons officially connected with the hospital not directly involved in his/her care.
• To wear appropriate personal clothing and religious or other symbolic items, as long as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment. 
• To be interviewed and examined in surroundings designed to assure reasonable visual and auditory privacy, including the right to have a person of one’s own sex present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment, or procedure performed by a health professional of the opposite sex and the right not to remain disrobed any longer than is required for accomplishing the medical purpose for which the patient was asked to disrobe.
• To expect that any discussion or consultation involving his care will be conducted discreetly and that individuals not directly involved in his/her care will not be present without his permission.
• To have his/her medical record read only by individuals directly involved in his treatment or in the monitoring of its quality and by other individuals only on his written authorization or that of his legally authorized representative.
• To expect all communications and other records pertaining to his care, including the source of payment for treatment, to be treated confidential.

Identity

The patient has the right to know the identity and professional status of individuals providing service to him and to know which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his care.  This includes the patient’s right to know of the existence of any professional relationship among individuals who are treating him/her, as well as the relationship to any other healthcare or educational institutions involved in his/her care.  Participation by patients in clinical training programs or in the gathering of data for research purposes should be voluntary.

Information

The patient has the right to obtain from the practitioner responsible for coordinating his care, complete and current information concerning his diagnosis (to the degree known), treatment, informed about outcomes and unanticipated outcomes and any known prognosis.  This information should be communicated in terms the patient can reasonably be expected to understand.  When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be made available to a legally authorized individual.

Communication

The patient has the right of access to people outside the hospital by means of visitors, and by verbal and written communication.

When the patient does not speak or understand the predominant language of the community, he/she should have access to an interpreter.  This is particularly true where language barriers are a continuing problem.

Consent

The patient has the right to reasonable informed participation in decision involving his/her healthcare.  To the degree possible, this should be based on a clear, concise explanation of his condition and of all proposed technical procedures, including the possibilities of any risk or mortality or serious side effects, problems related to recuperation, and probability of success.  The patient should not be subjected to any procedure without his voluntary, competent, and understanding consent of that of his/her legally authorized representative.  Where medically significant alternatives for care or treatment exist, the patient shall be so informed.

The patient has the right to know who is responsible for authorizing and performing the procedures or treatment.

The patient shall be informed if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational projects affecting his/her care or treatment, and the patient has the right to refuse to participate in any such activity.

Consultation

The patient, at his/her own request and expense, has the right to consult with a specialist.

Refusal of treatment

The patient may refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law.  When refusal of treatment by the patient or his legally authorized representative prevents the provision of appropriate care in accordance with professional standards, the relationship with the patient may be terminated upon reasonable notice.

Transfer and Continuity of Care

A patient may not be transferred to another facility unless he/she has received a complete explanation of the need for transfer and of the alternatives to such a transfer and unless the transfer is acceptable to the other facility.  The patient has the right to be informed by the practitioner responsible for his care, or his delegate, of any continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.

Patient Safety

The patient has the right to expect reasonable safety insofar as the hospital practices and environment are concerned.

Restraint

The patient has the right to be free from restraints imposed for purposes of discipline or convenience, and not required to treat the patient’s medical symptoms. 

Pain Management

As a patient, you can expect:

• Information about pain and pain relief measures.
• A concerned staff committed to pain prevention.
• Health professionals who respond quickly to reports of pain.
• State-of-the-art pain management.

Hospital Charges

Regardless of the source of payment for his care, the patient has the right to request and receive an itemized and detailed explanation of his total bill for services rendered in the hospital.  The patient has the right to timely notice prior to termination of his eligibility for reimbursement by any third party payer for the cost of his/her care.

Hospital Rules and Regulations

The patient should be informed of the hospital rules and regulations to his conduct as a patient.  Patients are entitled to information about the hospital'’ mechanism for the initiation, review, and resolution of patient complaints.