POLICY: PATIENTS RIGHTS
The Patient has the right to:
To be informed
of these rights, as evidenced by the patient’s written acknowledgement, or by documentation
by staff in the medical record, that the patient was offered a written copy of
these rights and given a written or verbal explanation of these rights, in
terms the patient could understand. The facility shall have a means to notify
patients of any rules and regulations it has adopted governing patient conduct
in the facility;
To be informed
of services available in the facility, of the names and professional status of
the personnel providing and/or responsible for the patient’s care, and of fees
and related charges, including the payment, fee, deposit, and refund policy of
the facility and any charges for services not covered by sources of third-party
payment or not covered by the facility’s basic rate;
To be informed
if the facility has authorized other health care and educational institutions
to participate in the patient’s treatment. The patient also shall have a right
to know the identity and function of these institutions, and to refuse to allow
their participation in the patient’s treatment and to change physicians if he
or she so wishes;
To receive from the patient’s physician(s) or clinical
practitioner(s), in terms that the patient understands, and explanation of his
or her complete medical/health condition or diagnosis, recommended treatment,
treatment options, including the option of no treatment, risk(s) of treatment,
and expected result(s). If this information would be detrimental to the
patient’s health, or if the patient’s health, or if the patient is not capable
of understanding the information, the explanation shall be provided to the
patient’s next of kin or guardian. This release of information to the next of
kin or guardian, along with the reason for not informing the patient directly,
shall be documented in the patient’s medical record;
To receive as
soon as possible, the services of a translator or interpreter if you need one
to help you communicate with the hospital’s health care personnel free of
charge;
To participate
in the planning of the patient’s care and treatment, and to refuse medication
and treatment. Such refusal shall be documented in the patient’s medical
record;
To change
primary or specialty physicians if other qualified physicians are available;
Has the right to continuity of health care. The physician may
not discontinue treatment of a patient as long as further treatment is
medically indicated, without giving the patient sufficient opportunity to make
alternative arrangements;
To be included in experimental research only when the patient
gives informed, written consent to such participation, or when a guardian gives
such consent for an incompetent patient in accordance with law, rule and
regulation. The patient may refuse to participate in experimental research,
including the investigation of new drugs and medical devices;
To voice
grievances or recommend changes in policies and services to facility personnel,
the governing authority and / or outside representatives of the patient’s
choice either individually or as a group, and free from restraint,
interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal;
To be free
from mental and physical abuse, free from exploitation, and free from use of
restraints unless they are authorized by a physician for a limited period of
time to protect the patient or others from injury. Drugs and other medications
shall not be used for discipline of patients or for convenience of facility
personnel.
To appropriate
assessment and management of pain. To education, including education for the
patient’s significant others (if applicable), regarding pain and symptom
management in the discharge planning process;
To information regarding credentialing of healthcare
professionals; To confidential treatment of information about the patient.
Information in the patient’s medical record shall not be released to anyone
outside the facility without the patient’s approval, unless another health care
facility to which the patient was transferred requires the information, or
unless the release of the information is required and permitted by law, a
third-party payment contract, or a peer review, or unless the information is
needed by the New Jersey State Department of Health for statutorily authorized
purposes. The facility may release data about the patient for studies
containing aggregated statistics when the patient’s identity is masked;
To be treated with courtesy,
consideration, respect, and recognition of the patient’s dignity,
individuality, and right to privacy, including, but not limited to, auditory
and visual privacy. The patient’s privacy shall also be respected when facility
personnel are discussing the patient;
To not be required to perform work for the facility unless the
work is part of the patient’s treatment and is performed voluntarily by the
patient. Such work shall be in accordance with local, State, and Federal laws
and rules;
To exercise civil and religious liberties, including the right
to independent personal decisions. No religious beliefs or practices, or any
attendance at religious services, shall be imposed upon any patient; and
To not be discriminated against because of age, race, sex,
nationality, or ability to pay, or deprived of any constitutional, civil, and
or legal rights solely because of receiving services from the facility.
As a patient you are responsible for:
1.
Provide physicians and Center personnel with accurate
information related to their condition and care.
2.
Follow their treatment plans. Patients are responsible for
medical consequences, which result from refusing treatment or not following
instructions of physicians and hospital personnel.
3.
Be considerate of the Center’s staff who are committed to
excellence in patient care.
4.
Supply insurance information and pay bills promptly so that The
Center for Ambulatory Surgery can continue to serve you effectively.
The Center for Ambulatory Surgery needs the cooperation of its
patients to ensure that efficient, safe and considerate care is available to
all and requests patients to:
The administrator shall provide all
patients and / or their families upon request with the names, addresses, and
telephone numbers of the following offices where complaints may be lodged:
Division of Health Facilities
Evaluation and Licensing
New Jersey State Department of Health
CN 367
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0367
Telephone: (800) 792-9770
State of New Jersey
Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly
CN 808
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0808
Telephone: (800) 624-4262
The Administrator shall also provide all patients and of
families upon request with the names and telephone numbers of offices where
information concerning Medicare and Medicaid coverage may be obtained.
Addresses and telephone numbers shall be conspicuously posted throughout the
facility, including, but not limited to, the admission waiting area or room,
the patient service area of the business, office and other public areas.