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YOUR RIGHTS AS A PATIENT OF LOURDES
Copy of Rights
A written copy of Lourdes’ patient rights statement is given to patients on admission. Patient rights are also posted in areas accessible to patients and their visitors.
Access to Care
It is the policy of Lourdes to admit and treat all persons regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, age, religion, economic level, source of payment, or existence of an advance directive. Patients have the right to receive treatment for primary and secondary symptoms that respond to treatment. No patient shall be discriminated against based on any disabilities as set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Spiritual Services
Lourdes will provide pastoral care and other spiritual services upon patient request.
Privacy
Lourdes’ staff will endeavor to avoid intruding a patient’s personal privacy any more than is necessary to provide proper care.
Confidentiality
Lourdes endeavors to protect the confidentiality of each patient and to keep all records, communications, or consultations pertaining to care, including source of payment for treatment, confidential in accordance with hospital policy, professional ethics, and legal standards.
Personal Safety
Lourdes shall construct its environment and carry out its practices in a safe manner.
Effective Communication
Lourdes will provide effective communication for each patient, including provisions for hearing, speech impairment, and language barriers. Patients have a right to expect unrestricted access to communication, unless it is necessary to prevent injury or health deterioration. Restrictions are explained in understandable terms with clinical justification documented in the medical record.
Identity of Caregivers
Lourdes’ employees are required to wear name badges so patients will know the identity and professional status of persons responsible for authorizing and performing procedures or treatments. Lourdes recognizes the patient’s right to know which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his/her care and any professional relationship to another health care provider or institution that may represent a conflict of interest. The patient has the right to know the caregiver’s relationship to educational institutions involved in the patient’s care and any business relationships between individuals treating the patient, or between the organization and any other healthcare, service, or educational institution involved in the patient’s care.
Information
The patient has the right to obtain from the physician responsible for coordinating his/her care, complete and current information concerning his/her diagnosis (to the degree known), treatment, and any known prognosis in terms he/she can understand. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be made available to an appropriate family member or designee.
Investigational Treatment
When a patient is asked to participate in an investigational study or clinical trial, the hospital will follow Institutional Review Board guidelines.
Informed Consent
The patient has the right to reasonable informed participation in decisions involving his/her healthcare. The patient has the right to know the nature and purpose of procedures, the expected outcome, the potential benefits, risks, and alternative treatments.
Protective Services
Lourdes assists patients with access to protective services by providing names, addresses, and telephone numbers of pertinent state advocacy groups, and information regarding the patient’s right to file a complaint with the state survey and certification agency if there is a concern about patient abuse, neglect, or about misappropriation of a patient’s property in the facility.
Pain Management
The patient has the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain, with regard for personal, cultural, spiritual and/or ethical beliefs.
Advance Directives
No patient shall be discriminated against or have care conditioned on whether or not advance healthcare directives have been documented. The hospital determines whether a patient has or wishes to make advance directives, and provides assistance to those who wish to formulate an advance directive. Lourdes will comply with state and federal laws governing advance directives.
Protection of this right shall not be construed to condone or permit any affirmative or deliberate act or omission to end life other than to permit the natural process of dying as defined by statute. The patient has the right to have an advance directive (such as a living will, healthcare proxy, or durable power of attorney for healthcare) concerning treatment or to designate a surrogate decision maker with the expectation that the hospital will honor the intent of that directive to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy, mission, philosophy, and capabilities. In the absence of an advance directive and in accordance with the applicable state law, the patient’s wishes may be documented in the patient’s medical record.
Refusal of Treatment
The patient, the family or surrogate, as appropriate, may refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. The physician will inform the patient of the possible medical consequences of such action.
End-of-Life Care
The patient has the right to respectful and responsive end-of-life care.
Organ and Tissue Donation
The hospital implements policies and procedures for donation of organs and other tissues.
Transfer & Continuity of Care
The patient has a right to request care that is within the hospital’s capacity, stated mission, and philosophy, and relevant laws and regulations. When the hospital cannot provide the care required, the patient has the right to complete information and explanation concerning the need for, and the alternatives available, to his/her transfer to another institution. 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.
Hospital Charges
A patient has the right to an explanation of his/her bill regardless of the source of payment and to receive information or be advised of the availability of sources of financial assistance, if any. Lourdes will, upon request, answer questions concerning charges, insurance eligibility, and/or reimbursement and methods of payment.
Hospital Rules & Regulations
Lourdes shall provide information regarding hospital rules and regulations applicable to his/her conduct as a patient. Patients have the right to voice complaints regarding care and are entitled to information about the hospital’s mechanism for the initiation, review, and resolution of patient complaints.
Involvement in Care
Patients have the right of involvement in all aspects of their care, including making care decisions, resolving dilemmas about care decisions, and end-of-life care. The hospital allows patients and their families to express their spiritual beliefs and cultural practices, as long as they do not harm others or interfere with treatment. Patients and, when appropriate, their families are informed about treatment or procedure outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes. A surrogate decision-maker may be involved in making decisions when the patient does not have the mental or physical capability to make care decisions. The patient has the right to exclude any and all family members from participating in care decisions.
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