Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Our Patient Rights & Responsibilities

PURPOSE

To assure that the basic rights of human beings for independence of expression, decision and action, concern for personal dignity and human relationships are preserved for all patients, and to define the responsibilities of patients seen at Kolak Hospital.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

By taking an active role as our partner in your healthcare you can help your caregivers take the best possible care of you or your family member.

Please speak up and help us fully meet your needs. We request that you and your family members:

Give us correct and complete information about your present condition, past illnesses, hospitalization, medication and other health history.
Follow your treatment plan as it was developed with you. Tell us of any concerns about your ability to follow the plan of treatment.
Tell us if you are having pain or discomfort and if you are not getting enough relief.
Be considerate of other patients and hospital staff and their property. Abusive, threatening or inappropriate language or behavior will not be tolerated.
Keep appointments, or call us when you are unable to do so.
Let us know about your financial needs so we may refer you to appropriate resources, if available.
Give us any legal document that may affect any decision making about your care.
Tell us if you do not want students or researchers participating in your care.
Speak up to let us know if there are any other ways we can ease your hospital stay.

POLICY

It is the policy of Kolak to respect the individual rights of all persons that come to this facility for care. Patient rights include the right to make decisions regarding medical care, the right to accept or refuse treatment, and the right to formulate advance directives. Patient responsibilities include those actions on the part of patients that are needed so that healthcare providers can provide appropriate care, make accurate and responsible care decisions, address patients’ needs, and maintain a sound and viable health care facility.

ACCESS TO CARE

Individuals shall be afforded impartial access to treatment that is available and medically indicated, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability or source of payment. Free translation services are available.

RESPECT AND DIGNITY

The patient has the right to considerate, respectful care at all times, under all circumstances, with recognition of his personal dignity and worth.

PERSONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY

The patient has the right to expect reasonable safety in so far as the hospital practices and environment are concerned. To address the needs of patient, visitor and staff regarding safety and security.

IDENTITY

The patient has the right to know the identity and professional status of individuals providing service and which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his care. This includes the patient’s right to know of the existence of any professional relationship among individuals who are treating him, as well as the relationship to any healthcare or educational institutions involved in his care. Participation by patients in research programs, or in the gathering of data for research purposes, shall be voluntary with a signed informed consent.

INFORMATION

The patient has the right to obtain from the practitioner responsible for coordinating his care, complete and current information concerning his diagnosis (to the degree known), treatment, pain management, and any known prognosis. This information should be communicated in terms the patient can reasonably be expected to understand. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information shall be made available to a legally authorized individual.

The patient may access, request an amendment to, and/or receive an accounting of disclosures of their own protected health information as permitted under applicable law.

COMMUNICATION

The patient has the right of access to people outside the hospital by means of visitors, and by oral and written communication. The patient may request not to be included in the patient directory. Inclusion in the patient directory means that the patient’s name; room number and a general condition report may be given to people who ask about the patient by name.

CONSENT

The patient has the right to reasonably informed participation in decisions involving his/her health care. To the degree possible, this shall be based on a clear, concise explanation of his/her condition and of all proposed technical procedures, including the possibilities of any risk of mortality or serious side effects, problems related to recuperation, and probability of success. The patient shall not be subjected to any procedure without his/her voluntary, competent, and informed consent, or that of his/her legally authorized representative. Where medically significant alternatives for care or treatment exist, the patient shall be so informed.

The patient has the right to know who is responsible for authorizing and performing the procedures or treatment.

The patient shall be informed if the clinician proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational projects affecting his/her care or treatment, and the patient shall sign an informed consent if participation is desired and maintains the right to refuse to participate or withdraw from any such activity at any time.

The patient may refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. When refusal of treatment by the patient or his/her legally authorized representative prevents the provision of appropriate care in accordance with ethical and professional standards, the relationship with the patient may be terminated upon reasonable notice.

If a patient is unconscious or is determined to be mentally incompetent and no consent can be obtained from an appropriate family member, legal action may be taken to obtain a court order for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In life-threatening emergencies, where the patient is incompetent or unconscious, appropriate treatment may be administered without consent.

CONSULTATION

The patient, at his/her own request and expense, has the right to consult with a specialist.

TRANSFER AND CONTINUITY OF CARE

A patient may not be transferred to another facility unless he/she has received a complete explanation of the need for the transfer and the alternatives to such a transfer, and unless the transfer is acceptable to the other facility. The patient has the right to be informed by the responsible practitioner or his/her delegate of any continuing healthcare requirements following discharge from the hospital.

Regardless of the source of payment for his/her care, the patient has the right to request and receive an itemized and detailed explanation of his/her total finalized bill for services rendered in the hospital. The patient shall be informed of eligibility for reimbursement by any third-party coverage during the admission or pre-admission financial investigation.

HOSPITAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

The patient shall be informed of the hospital rules and regulations applicable to his/her conduct as a patient. The hospital’s Notice of Privacy Practices is available from the Admitting Department or can be found on the hospital website.

COMPLAINT PROCESS

The patient has the right to file a complaint regarding services and is entitled to information regarding the hospitals mechanism for the initiation, review and resolution of such complaints.