PATIENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a patient in the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center, in the State of Colorado, you have the right, consistent with law to:

1. Understand and use these rights. If for any reason you do not understand or you need help, the hospital will provide assistance, including an interpreter when possible. A Spanish version of these rights is available upon request.
2. Receive considerate and respectful treatment free of unnecessary physical or chemical restraint or seclusion unless medically indicated or necessary to prevent harm to yourself or others.
3. To receive care in a clean, safe and secure setting and to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
4. Receive care without fear of discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or source of payment.
5. Be informed that the healthcare team may include healthcare professionals in training.
6. Know who is responsible for authorizing and performing your procedures or treatments, including the names, positions, and functions of any hospital staff or physicians involved in your care.
7. Expect reasonable response to your requests and needs for treatment or service, within the hospital’s capacity and applicable laws or regulations.
8. Expect personal privacy and confidential communications of any Protected Health Information (PHI), and to request restriction regarding uses and accounting of disclosures within the limits of the law.
9. Expect to have a specified family member or representative and your physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
10. Review and or amend your medical records without charge, within the limits of the law. You may have this information explained to you if you do not understand it. You may obtain a copy of your medical record for which the hospital can charge a reasonable fee. You cannot be denied a copy solely because you cannot afford to pay.
11. Be informed of any hospital policies and procedures that may affect your treatment.
12. Make healthcare decisions in collaboration with your physician, based on your spiritual, cultural, ethical, or other beliefs, including:
    1. Acceptance or refusal of treatment, to the extent permitted by law, and the revealing of information regarding medical consequences of refusal of treatment.
    2. Participation in your own care delivery and care planning.
    3. Adequate and appropriate pain management.
    4. Responsibility to provide all information about your past care, illness, and medicine to your physician when he/she is trying to find out the best possible treatment options for you.
    5. Formulation of Advanced Directives (Living Will) and the appointment of a surrogate to make healthcare decisions on your behalf to the extent permitted by law.
    6. Receipt of any information necessary to enable you to make informed consent on treatment decisions that reflect your wishes, to the extent permitted by law. This information shall include the possible risks and benefits of procedures, medications and/or treatments.
    7. Understandable information regarding your condition.
    8. Information necessary to enable you to make a decision for an order not to resuscitate and to appoint a representative to make a decision if you are too ill to do so, to the extent permitted by law.
    9. Information about any research/education projects affecting your care or treatment.
    10. Complete information about your diagnosis, treatment options, potential outcomes and to be informed of the possible medical consequences of refusing treatment.
    11. Knowledge of alternative care options available to you, if applicable, when you no longer need hospital care.
    12. Request, at your expense, a consultation with another physician or specialist.
13. Participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise during your care (or the participation of the patient’s designated representative).
14. Be assured that your guardian, next of kin, or legally authorized responsible person, shall exercise, to the extent permitted by law, the rights delineated on your behalf if you are adjudicated incompetent in accordance with the law; are found by your physician to be medically incapable of understanding a proposed treatment or procedure; or are unable to communicate your wishes regarding treatment, or, are a minor.
15. Be informed of SLVRMC rules and regulations applicable to your conduct as a patient.
16. Be transferred, at your request, to another physician or institution, providing it is medically permissible and that the other institution will accept the transfer.
17. Participate in all decisions about your treatment and discharge from the hospital. The hospital must provide you with a written discharge plan and written description of how you can appeal your discharge. We encourage you to be involved in your discharge planning and your continuing healthcare requirements following your discharge.
18. Receive complete information and an explanation if SLVRMC requests to transfer you to another facility.
19. Receive an itemized bill and an explanation of all charges.
20. Make known your wishes in regard to anatomical gifts. You may document your wishes in your healthcare proxy or on a donor card, available from the hospital.

Among the hospital’s resources for assurance of considerate, respectful care is the SLVRMC’s Ethics Committee, comprised of representatives from many professions and the community. The Ethics Committee aims to be a source of education, policy review, and consultation for the hospital, physicians, patients, and community on issues of medical ethics and dilemmas. You can contact the committee by speaking to your doctor or nurse, or by calling the following departments:

1. Patient and Family Services, 719-587-1350
2. Quality Improvement, 719-587-1207 Complaints regarding quality of care and services may be made directly to the hospital’s staff or via the hospital’s established grievance mechanism with no fear of compromising your future access to care. You will receive a prompt resolution and written response (when applicable) including an internal grievance process. You also have access to the Colorado Department of Health at (303) 692-2800.

Patient Responsibilities

1. To follow hospital rules and regulations to help ensure your own safety and comfort as well as that of other patients.
2. To be honest about matters that relate to you as a patient.
3. To follow the directions and advice offered by the staff.
4. To know the staff who are caring for you.
5. To report changes in your condition to those responsible for the provision of care and welfare.
6. To be considerate and respectful of the needs of other patients and staff in this hospital including their right to privacy and quiet, and adherence to visiting regulations.
7. To observe the no-smoking, clean-air hospital policy.
8. To provide healthcare insurance information for processing bills and assure that financial obligations are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
9. To follow medical advice and treatment plan recommended by your physician.
10. To notify the Patient and Family Representative if you feel your rights are being violated.

Last Modified: April 23, 2007 9:15 PM