1. You have the right to be treated with dignity as an individual, with compassion and respect, with reasonable protection from harm including safety and security for both your person and your belongings, and with appropriate privacy and confidentiality. You have the right to private telephone conversations to the extent that these conversations do not interfere with medically necessary treatment. Your treatment will respect your personal values, preferences, and beliefs as well as spiritual preferences, psychosocial circumstances and cultural background.
2. You have the right to receive treatment which respects your need for effective communication. The hospital will provide translation or interpretation services as necessary to enhance effective communication. In addition, the hospital will address your needs with regard to vision, hearing, speech, language and cognitive impairment.
3. To the extent you are eligible, you have the right to receive prompt and appropriate treatment, within the medical center's capacity, for physical or emotional disorders or disabilities. Treatment will be in the least restrictive environment necessary and free from unnecessary or excessive medication. The effectiveness and safety of care, treatment and services does not depend on your ability to pay.
4. You have the right to the appropriate assessment and management of pain. You and your family, when appropriate, have the right to education about your role in pain management and the potential limitations and side effects of pain treatments.
5. You are provided, to the degree known, information concerning your diagnoses, treatment and prognoses. If your condition makes it inadvisable or impossible to give such information to you directly, this information is made available to your legally authorized surrogate or when appropriate, to your family.
6. You are given the opportunity to participate in decisions involving your health care, unless your medical condition makes this inadvisable or impossible. You have the right to family involvement in decisions involving your health care with your permission. If you do not have the capacity to participate in your care decisions, a legally designated surrogate will be identified to make decisions on your behalf. This surrogate may also give permission for family involvement in decisions involving your health care.
7. You have the right to refuse a recommended treatment or plan of care to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy, and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action. Refusing treatment, after having been apprised of the treatment's expected benefits, associated risks, reasonable and available alternatives, and anticipated results if nothing is done, will not jeopardize your right to future medical care and treatment.
8. You have the right to receive from your physician information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and/or treatment, including the medically significant risks involved, the expected benefits, the available alternatives, and the probable duration of incapacitation. You also have the right to know the name and professional status of the persons responsible for the procedure and/or treatment.
9. Your medical records and all information about you will be kept confidential unless you consent to its release or disclosure as permitted by law. There may be other limited circumstances in which legal standards allow or require disclosure of medical information to specific agencies or individuals without your expressed consent, particularly for members of the Armed Forces. Patients and, when appropriate, their families are informed about the outcomes of care, treatment, and services that have been provided, including unanticipated outcomes. You have the right to review the records pertaining to your medical care and to have the information explained or interpreted as necessary, except when restricted by law. You have the right to request amendment to your records if during your review you find what you deem to be incorrect information.
10. When medically permissible, you may be transferred to another facility only after you have received complete information and explanation concerning the need for and alternatives to such a transfer. The institution to which you are to be transferred must first have accepted you for transfer.
11. You have the right to know if the medical center proposes to engage in research or human experimentation affecting your care. You have the right to refuse to participate in experimental research. You have the right to know of any professional, educational, or financial relationships or affiliations the hospital or your physician may have.
12. Consent will be obtained for recording or filming made for purposes other than the identification, diagnosis, or treatment of the patient.
13. You have the right to expect reasonable continuity of care. You have the right to know in advance what appointment times and physicians are available and where. If you meet eligibility requirements, care may be obtained within this facility or referred to other sources as appropriate. In some instances, limitations on eligibility may place care within this facility on a "space available" basis. You will be fully informed of any such limitations. You have the right to expect the hospital will provide a mechanism whereby you are informed by your physician or a delegate of the physician of your continuing health care requirements following discharge.
14. You have the right to examine and receive an explanation of your bill regardless of payment source. You have a right to accurate information and your healthcare program (TRICARE or VA Benefits) to include covered health benefits and health plan options. You also have the right to contact a TRICARE Debt Collection Assistance Officer to assist you in the resolution of any TRICARE related fees and/or claims.
15. You have the right to know what hospital rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient.
16. You have the right to access available religious services or spiritual counseling, and to exercise your spiritual and cultural beliefs as long as they do not interfere with the well being of others or the planned course of therapy.
17. You have the right to have a person of your own sex present during certain parts of the physical examination, treatment, or other procedures performed by a health professional of the opposite sex. Parents or legal guardians of unemancipated minor patients have a right to be present during examinations and treatment of the minor, with the exception of treatment for sexually transmitted disease, contraception, abortion or alcohol or substance abuse treatment.
18. The dying patient has the right to care that optimizes comfort and dignity, including the appropriate and aggressive management of pain.
19. You have the right to receive information on various types of advance directives. If you have an existing advance directive, it will be followed should you become incapacitated.
20. You have the right to access protective and advocacy services including Child Protective Services and the Family Advocacy Program if you feel that you or your child is the victim of abuse or neglect. You also have the right to assistance in obtaining a payee if necessary.
21. You have a right to receive information about mechanisms to resolve grievances, complaints, disputes, or dilemmas regarding your medical care and other issues. You have the right to voice complaints freely and recommend changes without being subject to coercion, discrimination, reprisal, or unreasonable interruption of care, treatment and services. You may contact your clinic's
Patient Advocate or the hospital
Patient Advocate to voice your complaint. You have the right to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in the provision of your care. You have the right to take unresolved ethical issues before the Ethics Committee.
22. You have the right to review a provider directory maintained in the TRICARE Flight to assist with understanding your provider's education and training and selecting a Primary Care Manager. You have the right to review publicly reported facility quality measures. Please see the TRICARE flight or visit
www.qualitycheck.org.
1. To follow all of the hospital's rules and regulations and posted signs.
2. To show respect and consideration for other patients and hospital employees.
3. To provide information as requested by your treatment staff.
4. To ask questions regarding your treatment plan in order to make sure you understand all aspects of your medications to include dosage, frequency, possible side effects and whether or not you are scheduled for outpatient follow-up visits.
5. To follow all instructions included in your treatment plan.
6. To accept the consequences for outcomes which may arise if you do not follow instructions for your care, treatment, and service plan.
7. To meet financial commitments as they arise to the best of your ability.
8. To try to prevent an injury to yourself, other patients, visitors and staff members by your own actions and to be responsible for the safekeeping of clothing, money and personal possessions you choose to keep with you while you are in this facility.
9. To report for all of your scheduled diagnostic or treatment appointments on time or to call to change or reschedule your appointments at least 24 hours in advance.
10. To avoid interfering with the treatment of other patients, particularly in emergency situations.
11. To alert the staff when you observe another patient having difficulty.
12. To be understanding and patient if you encounter delays.
13. To maximize good healthy habits such as exercise, not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and not knowingly spreading diseases. However if you choose to smoke, you are required to only do so in the designated smoking areas to help maintain a clean hospital environment.
14. You are responsible for the behavior and conduct of those who visit you during your hospital stay. Your visitors must observe visiting hours. Adults are responsible for the behavior of their children at all times.
15. Become knowledgeable about your health plan coverage, options and rules to include required fees.
16. Report wrongdoing and fraud to appropriate authorities.
