Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Patients at Citizens Medical Center have the right to:

  • A reasonable response to his/her request for care and treatment within the hospital's capacity, the stated mission, applicable law, and regulation.
  • Impartial access to care and treatment that is medically indicated regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, disability or source of payment.
  • Considerate, respectful care and treatment focused upon his/her needs, and personal dignity that considers the psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural variables influencing the perceptions of illness.
  • Personal privacy and the preservation of personal dignity in a safe, secure setting, free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
  • Confidential information, including the right to access the information contained in the patients' medical record within a reasonable time frame, and within the limits of the law.
  • Be informed of his/her health status, be able to request or refuse treatment, and remain informed about care outcomes, both anticipated and unanticipated.  The patient shall provide written consent for the provision of medical/surgical care except in emergencies.
  • Be informed of the responsible licensed independent practitioner or his or her designee about those unanticipated outcomes of care, treatment, and services related to sentinel events, when the patient is not already aware of the occurrence, or further discussion is needed.
  • Participate in the development and implementation of his/her plan of care and treatment, allow his or her family members or representative to make informed decisions regarding his/her own care or life-sustaining/resuscitative efforts, and decisions pertaining to the end of life.
  • To promptly notify a family member or representative of his/her own choice and his/her own physician of his/her admission.
  • To receive information on advance directives at admission and have access to protective services as requested.
  • To formulate advance directives and have hospital staff and practitioners provide care in the hospital according to these directives.
  • Receive care that optimizes comfort and dignity by effectively managing pain and other symptoms.
  • Be informed of any human experimentation or other research/educational projects involving the patient's care and treatment.
  • To partipicate in ethical issues that may arise involving his/her care and treatment.
  • To submit a written or verbal grievance about the care, services, or staff.
  • Have their guardians, next of kin, or a legally authorized responsible person to exercise to the extent permitted by law, the rights delineated on behalf of the patient if the patient:  has been adjudicated incompetent in accordance with the law or is found by the patient's physician to be medically incapable of understanding the proposed treatment or procedure, or is unable of communicating his or her wishes, or is a minor.
  • Obtain identification and knowledge of the professional status of persons providing care and treatment while in the hospital.
  • The need for effective communication by utilizing an interpreter (translator) in the event of language/speech barriers and other appropriate means of communication.
  • Request care and treatment from another health care practitioner or consultation from another provider.
  • Request and receive an itemized statement identifying charges for the services rendered.
  • For violent/self-destructive management, freedom from seclusion and restraints except in emergency situations, if needed, to ensure the patient's safety and less restrictive means have been determined to be ineffective.
  • For non-violent/non-self-destructive management, freedom from seclusion and restraints except in emergency situations, if needed, to ensure the patient's safety and less restrictive means have been determined to be ineffective.
  • Each Medicare beneficiary who is an inpatient will be provided a standardized notice, "An Important Message from Medicare" (IM), within two days of admission.  Citizens Medical Center provides this message during the admission process by Patient Access staff.  The IM is signed and dated by the patient or family member to acknowledge receipt.  A copy of the IM is presented to inpatients in advance of discharge from the hospital in accordance with CMS regulations.

 

Patients treated at Citizens Medical Center have the following responsibilities to:

  • Provide complete and accurate information about:  their complaints and onset of symptoms; past illnesses and hospitalizations; personal medications and other information relating to their health and medical care.
  • Communicate whether they clearly comprehend the proposed course of action and the patient's expectation to make decisions regarding their medical plan.
  • Follow the care and treatment plan recommended and ordered by the health care practitioner or experience the actions or outcomes for refusing services.
  • Assure payment for financial obligations incurred as a result of services rendered.
  • Follow hospital policies and procedures, rules and regulations regarding patient care.
  • Respect the rights and property of other patients, physicians, hospital personnel, and visitors.