Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Respect & Dignity

Our organization prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. You have the right to be treated in a respectful manner that supports your dignity. You have the right to considerate and respectful care in an environment that preserves dignity and contributes to a positive self-image.  This includes the right to be free from all forms of abuse and harassment.  If at any time you have a worry or concern that you are unsafe or being harassed by a loved one, family, friend, visitor or staff, please tell your nurse or call 573-231-2760. We can protect you by removing the person who is harming or threatening you and provide you with people who will be able to help you.  You have the right to be free from restraint or seclusion, of any form, unless it is imposed to ensure your immediate safety, the safety of staff or others.  The organization will accommodate your right to religious and other spiritual services as necessary.

Information

You have the right to receive effective communication delivered in a manner which meets your individual needs.  The organization respects all the cultural values, beliefs and preferences of all patients.  You have the right to and are encouraged to obtain from physicians and other direct caregivers, relevant, current and understandable information concerning your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.  You have the right to know the identity of physicians, nurses, and others responsible for your care, as well as when those involved are students or trainees.  You have the right to know the immediate and long-term financial implications of treatment choices, insofar as they are known.

Consent & Participation

You and/or your designated representative have the right to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care and discharge planning. You have the right to make decisions about your care based on your needs and preferences prior to and during the course of your treatment. You have the right to refuse the recommended plan of care to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy. You have the right to be informed of the medical consequences of your decision. If you should refuse a recommended treatment or plan of care you are entitled to other appropriate care and services that the organization provides, or to be transferred to another facility. You have the right to have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the organization.

Privacy & Confidentiality

You have the right to every consideration of privacy. You have the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to your care will be treated as confidential by the organization, except in cases when reporting is permitted or required by law.  You have the right to expect that the organization will emphasize the confidentiality of this information when it releases it to any other parties entitled to review information in your records. If you do not want people to know that you are a patient in this hospital, then please notify staff to have your name removed from the inpatient directory.

Access to Records

You and/or your designated representative have the right to access information contained in your medical record within a reasonable time frame and to have the information explained or interpreted as necessary, except as restricted by law. You have the right to request an amendment to and to obtain information or disclosures of your health information in accordance with law and regulation.

Access to Care

You have the right to expect that the organization will make reasonable response to your requests for appropriate and medically indicated care and service within its capacity and policies. You have the right to ask and be informed of the existence of business relationships among the organization, educational institutions, other healthcare providers or payers that may influence your treatment and care.

Continuity of Care

You have the right to expect reasonable continuity of care when appropriate and to be informed by your physician and other caregivers of available and realistic patient care options when hospital care no longer is appropriate.

Discharge Planning

You may request a discharge planning evaluation. Please talk to your healthcare provider if you would like one.

Hospital Policies & Practices

You have the right to be informed of organizational policies and practices that relate to your care, treatment and responsibilities.You have the right to be informed of the organizational charges for services and available methods of payment.

Interpretive Services

Patients will be provided interpretive services at no charge by calling 1-573-248-5290 (TTY:1-800-735-2966).
Complaints can be filed with:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
601 East 12th Street, Room 248
Kansas City, MO 64106
Telephone: (816) 426-7278
Fax: (816) 426-3638
TDD: (816) 426-7065

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-573-248-5290 (TTY: 1-800-735-2966).

注意:如果您使用繁體中文,您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-573-248-5290(TTY:1-800-735-2966)

Safety & Protection

You have the right to receive care in a safe setting with protective oversight. You have the right to access protective and advocacy services. You have the right to have your possessions reasonably protected.

Visitation

The organization allows for the presence of a support individual of the patient’s choice. The organization will inform each patient, or the patient’s designated representative, of visitation rights.  Patients have the right to receive any visitors they designate so long as those visitors comply with the rules and standards of the organization, as well as federal, state and local laws. The organization will not restrict or deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.  All visitors designated by the patient or their representative shall enjoy full visitation privileges equal to those for immediate family members consistent with patient preferences.  The organization will also inform patients or their representative of visitation rights and any clinical restrictions on those rights.

Advance Directives

An advance directive is a written or oral statement which allows you to give direction about your future medical care or to designate another person(s) to make medical decisions for you if you lose your decision-making capability.

  • You have the right to have an advance directive (such as a living will or durable power of attorney for healthcare concerning treatment or designating a surrogate decision maker with the expectation that the organization will honor the intent of that directive to the extent permitted by law and organizational policy
  • Advance directives will be honored within the capabilities of the hospital
  • You may withdraw or change your advance directive
  • You may formulate new advance directives
  • You may communicate your intent orally or in writing

We will not discriminate against you based on whether or not you have executed an advance directive.
Certain laws of the State of Missouri provide you with specific rights related to advance directives.

Pain Management

You have the right to be involved in all aspects of your care, including effective management of pain. Your healthcare team will work with you to develop a pain management plan. We ask that you communicate your pain management expectations and fears to your healthcare team.

Patient Responsibilities

  • provide information
  • follow instructions
  • follow hospital rules and regulations
  • accept consequences of their decisions
  • meet financial obligations
  • ask questions

Concerns during your stay may be brought to 231-2760.  Concerns after your stay may be brought to Quality Management at 248-5290.

Treatment Plan

Optimal healing requires that you participate in your care by fulfilling certain responsibilities. You are responsible for providing information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters related to your health status and following the treatment plan recommended by your practitioner(s). This may include following the instructions of the healthcare team as they carry out the coordinated plan of care.

Accommodation

You and members of your family and/or your designated representative is responsible for making reasonable accommodations to the needs of other patients, medical staff, and organizational team members as it relates to your care by following the instructions, policies, rules and regulations in place to support quality care and a safe environment.

Hospital Charges

You are responsible for providing the necessary information for insurance claims and for working with the organization to make payment arrangements when necessary.