Patient Rights

• A patient (or his/her representative) has the right to be informed of his rights at the earliest possible moment in the course of his hospitalization; and to know what rules apply to his conduct as a patient.
• The patient has the right to make the decisions regarding the withholding of resuscitative services or the foregoing of or the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment within the limits of the law and the policies of this hospital.
• A patient has the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
• Each patient has the right to have a family member or representative of his choice and his own physician notified promptly of his admission to the hospital.
• A patient has the right, upon request, to be given the name of his attending physician, the names of all other physicians directly participating in his care and the names and functions of other health care persons having direct contact with the patient.
• A patient has the right to every consideration of his privacy concerning his own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are considered confidential and should be conducted discreetly.
• The patient has the right to make decisions involving his/her healthcare, in collaboration with his/her physician. This right applies to the family and/or guardian of neonates, children and adolescents. In the event the patient is unable to participate in his/her care and treatment decision-making, rights are to be exercised to the extent permitted by law, by the patient's designated representative, legal guardian or other legally designated person. (Examples of the above mentioned conditions include, but are not limited to the patient, having been adjudicated incompetent in accordance with law, found by his/her physician to be medically incapable of understanding the proposed treatment or procedure, is unable to communicate his/her wishes, or is an unemancipated minor.)
• A patient has the right to respectful care given by competent personnel.
• The patient has the right to be free from seclusion and restraint that is not medically necessary or used as means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by the staff.
• The patient has the right to expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
• The patient has the right to good quality care and high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.
• The patient has the right to full information in layman's terms, concerning his diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, including information about alternative treatments and possible complications. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information shall be given on the patient's behalf to his/her designated/legal representative.
• Except for emergencies, the physician must obtain the necessary informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment, or both.
• A patient or, in the event the patient is unable to give informed consent, a legally responsible party, has the right to be advised when a physician is considering the patient as a part of a medical care research program or donor program, and the patient, or legally responsible party, must give informed consent prior to actual participation in such a program. A patient, or legally responsible party, may, at any time, refuse to continue in any such program to which he has previously given informed consent.
• A patient has the right to medical and nursing services without discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual preference, national origin, or source of payment.
• A patient has the right to refuse any drugs, treatment, or procedure offered by the hospital, to the extent permitted by law, and a physician shall inform the patient of the medical consequences of the patient's refusal of any drugs, treatment, or procedure.
• A patient has the right to assistance in obtaining consultation with another physician at the patient's request and own expense.
• The patient has the right to be communicated with in a manner that is clear, concise and understandable. A patient who does not speak English should have access, where possible, to an interpreter.
• The patient has the right to have all records pertaining to his medical care treated as confidential except as otherwise provided by law or third party contractual arrangements. This includes the right to have medical records read only by individuals directly involved in care, by individuals monitoring the quality of care, or by individuals authorized by law or regulation.
• The patient has the right to access the information in his/her medical record within a reasonable time frame, unless access is specifically restricted by the attending physician for medical reasons.
• The patient has the right to expect good management techniques to be implemented within the hospital considering effective use of the time of the patient and to avoid the personal discomfort of the patient.
• When medically permissible, a patient may be transferred to another facility only after he or his next of kin or other legally responsible representative has received complete information and an explanation concerning the needs for and alternatives to such a transfer. The institution to which the patient is to be transferred must first have accepted the patient.
• The patient has the right to examine and receive a detailed explanation of his bill.
• The patient has the right to full information and counseling on the availability of known financial resources for his health care.
• A patient has the right to expect that the health care facility will provide a mechanism whereby he is informed upon discharge of his continuing health care requirements following discharge and the means for meeting them.
• A patient cannot be denied the right to access to an individual or agency that is authorized to act on his behalf to assert or protect the rights set out in this section.
• The patient has the right to receive care in a safe setting, and be free from all forms of abuse and harassment.
• A patient has a right to access protective services. These services may include determining the need for protective intervention, correct hazardous living conditions or situations in which you are unable to care for yourself, and investigate evidence of neglect, abuse, or exploitation.
• A patient has the right, without recrimination, to voice complaints regarding the care received, to have their complaints reviewed and when possible, resolved. For an overview of the formal grievance process for resolution of complaints, please call Administration at 610-983-1480. Patients may also choose to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Acute and Ambulatory Care Services, P. O. Box 90, Harrisburg, PA 17108-0090. Their telephone number is 1-800-254-5164. Patients may contact the state regardless of whether he/she has first used the hospital's grievance process.
• A patient has the right to discuss issues of care and have them resolved with the attending physician in coordination with the patient/family/significant other. Should these concerns/issues remain unresolved the patient/family/significant other have the right to have access to the hospital's Medical Ethics Committee.

Patient Responsibilities

• The hospital expects that you or your family will provide information about past illnesses, hospitalization, medication, advance directives, and other matters relating to your health history in order to effectively treat your illness.
• The hospital expects that you will cooperate with all hospital personnel and ask questions if directions and/or procedures are not clearly understood.
• You are expected to be considerate of other patients and hospital staff and to assist in the control of noise, smoking and the number of visitors in your room at any one time. You are also expected to be respectful of the property of other persons and the property of the hospital.
• In order to facilitate your care and the efforts of the hospital personnel, you are expected to help the physician, nurses, and allied medical personnel in their efforts to care for you by following their instructions and medical orders.
• Authorized members of your family are expected to be available to hospital personnel for review of your treatment in the event you are unable to properly communicate with the physician or nurse.
• It is understood that you assume the financial responsibility for paying for all services rendered either through third-party payers (your insurance company) or being personally responsible for payment for any services, which are not covered by your insurance policies.
• It is expected that you will not take drugs which have not been prescribed by your attending physician and administered by hospital staff, and that you will not complicate or endanger the healing process by consuming alcoholic beverages or toxic substances during your hospital stay.