Patient's Bill of Rights
Adopted from the American Hospital Association
1. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care. This includes the right to effective communication as well as respect for his or her cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and personal values, beliefs and preferences.
2. The patient has the right to obtain from physicians and other direct care-givers complete, current and understandable information concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. The patient has the right to receive information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and/or treatment. Except in emergencies when the patient lacks decision-making capacity, the patient is entitled to information related to the nature of proposed care, treatment, services, medications, interventions or procedures, potential benefits, risks or side effects involved, potential problems that might occur during recuperation and the likelihood of achieving goals. The patient also has the right to receive information regarding reasonable alternatives, the relevant risks, benefits and side effects related to alternatives including possible results of not receiving care, treatment and services. The patient has the right to know the name of the person responsible for the procedure and/or treatment.
3. The patient has the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
4. The patient has the right to have an advance directive (health care directive, living will or durable power of attorney) upon admission. If the patient doesn’t have one, a designated surrogate may act on behalf of the patient to ensure that a directive be carried out as permitted by law and hospital policy.
5. The patient has the right to every consideration of privacy. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly.
6. The patient has the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to care should be treated as confidential, except in cases of suspected abuse or public health hazards.
7. The patient has the right to review pertinent medical care records and to have the information explained or interpreted as necessary, except when restricted by law.
8. The patient has the right to expect that within its capacity, a hospital must make reasonable response to requests for services. The hospital must provide evaluation, service, and/or referral as indicated by the urgency of the case. When medically appropriate and legally permissible, a patient may be transferred to another facility only after receiving complete explanation concerning the need for and the alternatives to such a transfer. The institution to which the patient is to be transferred must first have accepted the patient for transfer.
9. The patient has the right to information about pain and pain relief measures, a concerned staff committed to pain prevention and management and health professionals who respond quickly to reports of pain. Your reports of pain will be believed, followed by state-of-the-art pain management from a dedicated pain relief specialist.
10. The patient has the right to know about business relationships among the hospital, educational institutions, other health care providers, or payers that may influence the patient’s treatment and care.
11. The patient has the right to consent to or decline to participate in proposed research studies or human experimentation affecting care and treatment or requiring direct patient involvement, and to have those studies fully explained prior to consent.
12. The patient has the right to expect reasonable continuity of care and to be informed by physicians and other care-givers of available and realistic patient care options when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
13. The patient has the right to examine and receive an explanation of hospital related bills regardless of source of payment. The patient has the right to know what hospital rules and regulations apply to patient conduct and to know what avenues are available -- such as ethics committees and patient representatives -- to resolve disputes, grievances or conflicts.
14. The patient has the right to voice concerns regarding care received, to have those concerns reviewed and, when possible, resolved. Presentation of a concern by the patient, a family member or a visitor will not compromise the quality of care delivery for present or future access to health care at this hospital.
15. The patient has the right to receive visitors they designate including, but not limited to a spouse, domestic partner, another family member or a friend regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. The patient has the right to withdraw or deny visitation privileges based on their preferences.
Christian Hospital and Northwest HealthCare, members of BJC HealthCare, provide world-class medical care to the communities of North County, Greater St. Louis County and Southern Illinois.