PATIENT RIGHTS

 At Peterson Health, we respect our patients and family as partner in care and we inform each patient of their rights and responsibilities.  As an employee, it is important that you are aware of the rights of our patients.  If you ever have any questions about the rights or responsibilities of our patients, please call our Director of Patient Experience at Ext. 7841.  Our patients have the right to:

1. To have access to care or treatment regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, ability to pay, or the presence or lack of an advance directive.
2. To be treated with respect and dignity.
3. To have personal and informational privacy, within the law.
4. To receive consideration of the psycho-social, spiritual, and cultural variables that influence perceptions of illness, recovery, death and the grieving process.
5. To expect the hospital to take reasonable safety precautions to provide a secure environment.
6. To receive effective pain management.
7. To be given relevant, current, and understandable information concerning their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
8. To have access to visitors.
9. To receive effective communication for those with hearing- , vision- or speech- impairments; and limited-English-proficiency interpreter services are available.  (Please use our language line for communication with patients who do not speak English)
10. To participate in decisions involving your health care
11. To consult with a specialist of their choice, at their expense. For in-house consultations, the specialist must have privileges in this facility
12. To refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
13. To expect reasonable continuity of care, and to be informed of any continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.
14. To request and receive a detailed explanation of your bill regardless of the source of payment.
15. To express a concern or complaint concerning the hospital, their care, or a hospital employee without their care being affected.
16. To access the hospital’s biomedical ethics committee when ethical issues arise.  These may include conflict resolutions, withholding or withdrawing resuscitative services of life-sustaining treatment.  Contact the nursing staff or Care Coordination (ext 7629) for information on how to access the biomedical ethics committee.
17. To formulate a medical power or attorney or advance directives and designate surrogate decision makers.  (Note: If a patient or family member requests a medical power of attorney or advance directive, please notify the nurse supervisor at ext 7532, or the Chaplain.  Our chaplains will work with the patient and family to formulate a medical power of attorney.)
18. To receive protective services, should they be required.
19. To receive information about the outcome of care, including unanticipated outcomes.
20. To have freedom from medically unnecessary restraints.  Should a patient experience a change in emotional, physical or mental status, family members may be required to sit with the patient, or arrange for a private sitter.

If you have a safety or quality concern, you are encouraged to contact Peterson Health Patient Representative at 830-258-7630. If your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may also contact The Joint Commission via one of the following:

Department of State Health Services
Health Facility Licensing & Compliance Division
100 W 49^th St
Austin, TX 78756
1-888-973-0022

 

The Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1-800-994-6610 or via e-mail
complaint@jointcommission.org

 

Peterson Health

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The patients also have responsibilities and are expected to:

1. To provide accurate and complete information about their medical history.
2. To report unexpected changes in condition and follow recommended treatment plan.
3. To accept the consequences of refusing treatment.
4. To meet financial obligations as promptly as possible.
5. To follow hospital rules and regulations.
6. To respect the rights of other patients and hospital personnel. This includes assisting in the control of noise, limiting the number of visitors and complying with non-smoking hospital regulations.  The patient and family are responsible for being respectful of the property of other persons and of the hospital.

Ensuring the rights of every patient ensures we meet regulatory requirements while providing safe and compassionate care.