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Patient Rights & Responsibilities

We consider you a partner in your hospital care. When you are well informed, participate in treatment decisions, and communicate openly with your doctor and other health professionals, you help make your care as effective as possible. This hospital encourages respect for the personal preferences, values and beliefs of each individual.

Patient Rights:

All patients receiving care, treatment and services from MHSC and its clinics have the following rights:

  • To be informed of visitation rights, including:
    ◦ Right to receive visitors, according to the patient's wishes and consent
    ◦ Right to withdraw or deny consent for visitors
  • To be treated with dignity and respect
  • To effective communication
  • To have cultural and personal values, beliefs, and preferences respected
  • To personal privacy and privacy of health information
  • To pain management
  • To religious or other spiritual services
  • To access, request amendments to, and obtain information on disclosure of health information
  • To have a family member, a friend, or another individual present for emotional support during the patient's stay
  • To be free from discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression
  • To receive information in a manner that is understandable and tailored to the patient's age, language and ability to understand
  • To receive information in a manner that meets the patient's needs when they are impaired by vision, speech, hearing or cognitive impairments
  • To be involved in making decisions about care, treatment and services
  • To have patient's physician promptly notified of the patient's hospital admission
  • To refuse care, treatment, and services and to receive information about this in writing
  • To have a surrogate decision maker if the patient is unable to make decisions on their own. The surrogate decision maker has the right to refuse care, treatment and services on the patient's behalf
  • To have family involved in decision making about care, treatment, and services
  • To receive information about the outcomes of the patient's care, treatment, and services that is needed to participate in current and future health care decisions
  • To be informed about anticipated outcomes of care, treatment, and services that relate to sentinel events
  • To give or withhold informed consent
  • To give or withhold informed consent to produce or use recordings, films, or other images for purposes other than the patient's care
  • To receive information about the individual(s) responsible for and providing the patient's care, treatment, and services
  • To be free from neglect, exploitation, and verbal, mental, physical and sexual abuse
  • To have an environment that preserves dignity and contributes to positive self-image
  • To have complaints reviewed by the Hospital without being subject to coercion, discrimination, reprisal, or unreasonable interruption of care
  • To access protective and advocacy services
  • To discuss with a physician any ethical issues that arise during the course of care
  • To request access to MHSC's Ethics (or similar committee) Committee
  • To receive information about advance directives
  • To have advance directives respected and followed
  • To have issues addressing autopsy and organ donation conducted in a sensitive manner
  • To request and receive pastoral counseling
  • To request and expect the Hospital to arrange for the prompt and orderly transfer of the patient's care to others when the Hospital cannot meet the patient's request or needs for care, treatment, and services

Patient Responsibilities

All patients receiving care, treatment, and services from MHSC and its clinics have the following responsibilities:

  • To provide information that facilitates patient care, treatment, and service
  • To ask questions or acknowledge when the patient does not understand the treatment course or care decisions
  • To follow instructions, policies, rules, and regulations that support quality care and a safe environment
  • To be considerate and respectful when interacting with staff member
  • To not be verbally, physically or mentally abusive to staff member
  • To maintain civil language and conduct
  • To meet financial commitments to MHSC
  • To provide accurate and complete information about health-related matters
  • To take an active role in making decisions about care, treatment, and services by doing the following:
    ◦ Discussing condition and treatment with the medical care provide
    ◦ Reporting any changes in conditio
    ◦ Providing advance directive and/or expressing wishes regarding use of life support
  • To cooperate with Hospital staff who provide care
  • To ask questions if plans or direction or care are not clearly understood
  • To follow and respect the Hospital's rules and regulations about patient care and conduct
  • To be considerate of the rights of other patients and staff members
  • To follow guidelines about use of cameras, phone cameras, and other recording devices in all areas of the Hospital
  • To accept responsibility for actions if treatment is refused or provider instructions are not followed by patient
  • To provide the Hospital with complete information to process insurance claims
  • To arrange to pay bills within an acceptable time period
  • To be responsible for belongings and not bring unnecessary items or valuables to the Hospital
  • To inform staff members of all information that may affect care and safety

Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County works to provide care efficiently and fairly to all patients and the community. A hospital serves many purposes. Hospitals work to improve people's health; treat people with injury and disease; educate doctors, health professionals, patients and community members; and improve understanding of health and disease. In carrying out these activities, this institution works to respect your values and dignity.