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 Alle-Kiski Medical Center
Statement of the patient’s rights:
As a health care provider, Alle-Kiski Medical Center is committed to delivering quality medical care to you as pleasantly as possible. The following “statement of rights” was developed based on requirements of the Department of Health, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Joint Commission. The statement of rights is endorsed by the Board of Trustees, Administration, and the staff of this hospital. As it is our goal to provide medical care that is effective and considerate, we submit these to you as a statement of our policy. When the patient cannot make decisions regarding his care, the rights apply to your next of kin or other authorized preferences.
1. A patient has the right to respectful care given by competent personnel, in a safe environment, which includes consideration of psychosocial, spiritual and cultural issues, as well as, personal values, beliefs, and preferences.
2. 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 healthcare persons having direct contact with the patient.
3. A patient has the right to every consideration of his privacy concerning his own medical care program. Case discussions, consultation, examination and treatment are considered confidential and should be conducted discreetly.
4. A 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. You have the right to review your personal health information within a reasonable time frame. For more information related to the privacy, confidentiality, and access to your personal health information, please see the West Penn Allegheny Health System Notice of Privacy Practices or request a copy.
5. A patient has the right to know what hospital rules and regulations apply to his conduct as a patient (see Statement of Patient Responsibilities for general guidelines, and forward specific questions to the area manager or director of Patient Relations and Service Excellence).
6. A patient has the right to expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
7. A patient has the right to good quality care and high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.
8. A patient has the right to full information in laymen’s terms concerning his diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, including information about alternative treatments and possible complications. The patient has a right to participate in decisions regarding his care. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information will be given on his behalf to patient’s next of kin or other authorized representative.
9. A patient has the right to make informed decisions regarding his care. This includes being informed of his health status, being involved in care planning and treatment, and being able to request or refuse treatment (see further information on this below). This right must be constructed as a mechanism to demand the provisions of treatment or services deemed medically unnecessary or inappropriate.
10. A patient has the right to refuse, to extent permitted by law, any drugs, treatment or procedure offered by the hospital, and a physician shall inform the patient of the medical consequences of the patient’s refusal of any drugs, treatment or procedure.
11. Except for emergencies, the physician must obtain the necessary informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment, or both.
12. A patient has the right, upon request, to have a family member, or representative of his choice, and his own physician notified promptly of his admission to the hospital.
13. A patient has the right, to appropriate assessment and management of pain by health-care providers.
14. A patient has the right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
15. A patient has the right to be free from seclusion or restraints of any form that are not medically necessary.
16. A patient has the right to formulate advance directives concerning his treatment (such as living well or durable power of attorney for health care) and to have hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with these directives in accordance with applicable laws and/or regulations.
17. The patient ahs a right to advice regarding available protective and advocacy services upon request.
18. The patient has a right to be informed of the hospital grievance process (see information on his process following the Statement of Patient Responsibilities).
19. The patient has the right to participate in ethical questions that may arise in the course of his or her care, including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative services, or foregoing or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, and the patient or family member may directly consult the hospital’s ethics committee.
20. A patient or, in the event the patient in unable to give informed consent, a legally responsible party has the right to be advised when a physician in 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 times refuse to continue in any such program to which he has previously given informed consent.
21. A patient has the right to assistance in obtaining consultation with another physician at the patient’s request and own expense.
22. A patient has the right to medical and nursing services without discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual preference, national origin, age, ancestry, disability or source of payment.
23. A patient who does not speak English should have access, when possible, to an interpreter. Effective communication will be provided, when possible, for the hearing, sight or speech impaired.
24. The hospital shall provide the patient, upon request, access to all information contained in his medical records, unless access is specially restricted by the attending physician for medical reasons or is prohibited by law.
25. A 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 personal discomfort of the patients.
26. 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 a patient is to be transferred must first have accepted the patient for transfer.
27. A patient has the right to examine and receive detailed explanation of his bill.
28. A patient has the right to full information and counseling on the available of known financial resources for his health care. If you require financial assistance, please request to see a Financial Counselor.
29. A patient had the right to expect that the healthcare institution will provide a mechanism whereby he is informed upon discharge of his continuing health-care requirements following discharge and the means for meeting them.
30. A patient cannot be denied the right to access to an individual or agency authorized to act on his behalf to assert or protect the rights set out in this section.
31. A patient has the right to be informed of his rights at the earliest possible moment in the course of his hospitalization.
Statement of patient’s responsibilities: As a patient, you should assume the responsibilities noted below. When the patient cannot make decisions regarding his care, the responsibilities apply to duly authorized members of your family or other authorized representative. Further, in the event you are unable to make decisions, your family member or other authorized representative is expected to be readily available to hospital personnel throughout your stay. 1. Providing information. Patients and families as appropriate, must provide to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalization, medications, and other matters relating to your health. Patients and their families must report perceived risks in your care and unexpected changes in your condition. You can help the hospital understand your environment by providing feedback about service needs and expectations. Patients and their families are expected to provide information, decisions, or documents required for your care, discharge, or transfer in a timely fashion.
2. Asking questions. Patients and families as appropriate must ask questions when you do not understand your care, treatment, and service or what you are expected to do.
3. Following instructions. Patients and their families are expected to follow the care, treatment, and service plan developed. You should express any concerns about your ability to follow the proposed care plan or course of care, treatment, and services. The hospital makes every effort to adapt the plan to specific needs and limitations of the patients. When such adaptations to the care, treatment, and service plan are not recommended, patients and their families are informed of the consequences of the care, treatment, and service alternatives and not following the proposed course.
4. Accepting consequences. Patients and their families are responsible for the outcomes if you do not follow care, treatment, and service plan.
5. Following rules and regulations. Patient and their families must follow the hospital’s rules and regulations. This includes the expectations you will not take drugs or alternative medicines not prescribed 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.
6. Showing respect and consideration. Patients and their families are expected to be considerate and respectful of the hospital’s staff and property, as well as other patients and their property. This includes the control of noise, smoking, and the number of visitors in your room at any one time.
7. Meeting financial commitments. Patients and their families should promptly meet any financial obligation agreed to with the hospital. It is understood that you assume the financial responsibility of paying for all services rendered either through third-party payers (your insurance company) or being personally responsible for payment of any costs that are not covered by your insurance policies. As noted above, if you require financial assistance, please request to see a Financial Counselor. You may also benefit from a Social Services consultation to assist with community-based referrals/resources following your discharge. Please request your bedside nurse to make a Social Services referral for you.
If you have any questions, problems, or unmet needs, please let us know. If you would like further clarification of the Right and Responsibilities as they pertain to you, please do not hesitate to contact the area manager or director of Patient Relations at 724-226-7181.
You, or your representative, who is recognized by state law to act on your behalf, must be notified of your patient rights. The rights are printed here and serves as your “notice of patient rights”. If you have a concern, you have the right to file a grievance with this hospital, there are basic requirements that will be explained to you.
The grievance process is designed to address your concerns as a patient of the hospital. Patients may file a formal, written or verbal grievance, when a concern can not be resolved promptly by staff or management present When imminent patient safety is a concern, review of grievance and problem resolution will being immediately. Requests to file a grievance, verbal or in writing, with the hospital may be forwarded to the CEO. The mailing address for the individual noted is: Alle-Kiski Medical Center 1301 Carlisle Street, Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Following an internal review, a written response to all formal written or unresolved verbal grievances will be provided to you and your representative within 45 days from the date that the grievance was received. If you and/or representative remain dissatisfied following efforts to resolve the situation, you may contact a Regulatory Agency. You may lodge a grievance a Regulatory Agency directly, whether or not you have first used the hospital grievance process. The Regulatory Agency may be reached at:
Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Acute & Ambulatory Care Health and Welfare Building P.O. Box 90 Harrisburg, PA 17108-0090 Phone 1-800- 254-5164
The Joint Commission One Renaissance Boulevard Oakbrook Terrance, IL 60181 Phone 1-630-792-5000 Certain Grievances may be referred to appropriate Utilization Review or Quality Improvement Organizations (an independent group that handles matters involving patient hospitalization). Patients may make such referrals directly. Medicare patients may contact the Medicare patient relations office for the name of your local Quality Improvement Organization.
Date Posted: November 14, 2006 |