PATIENTS & VISITORS

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Your Rights and Responsibilities as a patient of Carondelet St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s or Holy Cross Hospital

All patients have the right to:

• Receive considerate and respectful care.
• Be well informed about your illness, possible treatments, and likely outcome, and to discuss this information with your doctor. You have the right to know the names and roles of people treating you.
• Consent to or refuse a treatment, as permitted by law, throughout your hospital stay. If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.
• Expect that a family member or representative and physician will be notified promptly of the patient’s admission to the hospital.
• To have your pain assessed and managed when admitted and throughout your hospitalization.
• Have an advance directive, such as a Living Will or health care proxy. These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have a written advance directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your doctor, and your family.
• Your privacy will be protected as much as possible by the hospital, your doctor, and others caring for you.Expect that treatment records are confidential unless you have given permission to release information or reporting is required or permitted by law. When the hospital releases records to others, such as insurers, it emphasizes that the records are confidential.
• Review your medical records and to have the information explained, except when restricted by law.
• Right to access an internal grievance process and also to appeal to an external agency.
• Receive care in safe setting, free from abuse or harassment.
• Expect that the hospital will give you necessary health services to the best of its ability. Treatment, referral, or transfer may be recommended. If transfer is recommended or requested, you will be informed of the risks, benefits, and alternatives. You will not be transferred until the other institution agrees to accept you.
• Know if this hospital has relationships with outside parties that may influence your treatment and care. These relationships may be with educational institutions, other health care providers or insurers.
• Consent or decline to take part in research affecting your care. If you choose not to take part, you will receive the most effective care the hospital otherwise provides.
• Be free from restraints or seclusion imposed as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.
• Be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
• To know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods. You have the right to know about hospital resources, such as patient representatives or ethics committees that can help you resolve problems and questions around your hospital stay and care.

To help facilitate your care, you are responsible for:

• Providing information about your health, including past illnesses, hospital stays and use of medicine.
• Asking questions when you do not understand information or instructions.
• Telling your doctor if you believe you cannot follow through with your treatment.
• Being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff and the hospital
• Providing insurance information and working with the hospital to arrange payment, when needed.
• Recognizing the effect of lifestyle on your personal health.
• Your health and well being if the recommended treatment is not followed or is refused.

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