Patient Bill of Rights

Policy
Healthcare South will maintain all aspects of patient care relative to the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities defined below.

Purpose
Healthcare South recognizes the rights of all patients. This policy shall include parents and/or guardians responsible for neonates, children and adolescent patients. To ensure that all patients are serviced fairly, and with the highest quality care possible, the rights of the patient are clearly defined below.

It is your right:

• Expect to receive care in a considerate and respectful manner.
• Ask for the name and specialty, if any, of the physician or other person responsible for your care or the coordination of your care, and to be assigned a different physician if that is within the staffing capacity of this facility.
• Be told by your physician complete current information concerning your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in terms and language you can be reasonably expected to understand. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to you, it will be made available to an appropriate person in your behalf.
• Expect confidentiality of all facility records and communications to the full extent provided by law.
• Have all reasonable requests responded to promptly and adequately within the capacity of this facility and its staffing.
• Ask about any relationships of this facility or your physician to any other health care facility or educational institution insofar as it relates to your care or treatment.
• Ask to inspect your medical records and receive a copy thereof (a copy fee may be charged).
• Refuse to serve as a research subject and to refuse any care or examination when the primary purpose is educational or informational rather than therapeutic.
• Privacy during medical treatment or other rendering of care within the capacity of this facility.
• Informed consent to the extent provided by law.
• Ask to examine and receive an explanation of your bill including laboratory charges, pharmaceutical charges, and third-party credits, regardless of the course of payment.
• Expect care that includes consideration of the psycho-social -spiritual and cultural variables that influence the perceptions of illness.
• Expect assistance with executing a Health Care Proxy and to expect the proxy will be reviewed upon admission and/or transfer to the critical care unit.

It is your responsibility to:

• Develop and maintain positive health practices: good nutrition, sleep and rest, exercise, positive relationships and stress management.
• Make choices in your own best interest based on a clear understanding of your medical care, its costs, risks and alternatives.
• Ask for information on your illness, to learn what you can and to do what you can to help maintain the best help maintain the best health possible.
• Give your physicians and healthcare providers accurate and complete information about your illness, medical history and medications.
• Follow your physicians and healthcare providers' orders to the best of your ability, to ask questions if you have problems and concerns and work out alternative plans.
• Keep appointments, fill prescriptions and follow through on healthcare instructions, to adhere to the guidelines of hospitals and clinics.
• Keep a written record of your personal health history, signs and symptoms, medications, treatments, outcomes and concerns.
• Cover the cost of your healthcare.
• Accept or decline to participate in research activities.
• Treat physicians and healthcare providers with respect, to call with questions during reasonable hours (unless it's an emergency), to address them by their preferred name, to listen to and respond appropriately to their questions, concerns and professional guidance.

November 2001