Patient Rights & Responsibilities >>

Southern New Hampshire Medical Center promotes and supports open communication regarding safety and quality of care issues.

If you have a safety or quality of care concern, we encourage you to call Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Risk Management at (603) 577-2732 and/or Quality Management at (603) 577-2716. You may also report a concern by calling the Compliance Hot Line (1-888-414-2743).

Should you feel your concerns have not been addressed, you have the right to report these concerns to the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) by calling 1-800-994-6610 or e-mailing complaint@jcaho.org.

Southern New Hampshire Medical Center respects the rights of the patient and recognizes that each patient is an individual with unique health care needs.

Recognizing the importance of respecting each patient's personal dignity, The Medical Center provides considerate, respectful care focused upon consideration of the psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural variables that influence the perceptions of illness. The Medical Center will respond to reasonable patient requests and needs for treatment or service within The Medical Center's capacity, its mission, and applicable law and regulation.

The Medical Center affirms the patient's right to make decisions regarding his/her medical care, including the decision to discontinue treatment, to the extent permitted by law.

The Medical Center assists the patient in the exercise of his/her rights and informs the patient of any responsibilities incumbent upon him/her in the exercise of those rights regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, sexual preference, or source of payment. Based on the New Hampshire State Statute 151:21, Patients Bill of Rights as well as HCFA SEC 482.13, Conditions of Participation; Patients Rights, The Medical Center adopts the Patient's Bill of Rights.

Your Rights

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As a patient, you have a right to:

• Be fully informed of your rights and responsibilities as a patient as outlined in our “Patient Rights and Responsibilities“ brochure available and posted throughout The Medical Center. Please ask a staff member if you would like a copy.
• Expect our staff to wear a name badge and introduce themselves.
• Be treated with consideration, respect, and dignity, including privacy in your treatment and care.
• Manage your personal financial affairs and have your bill explained.
• Be informed about your medical condition, health care needs and test results, and have the opportunity to participate in planning your care. This includes the right to discontinue or refuse treatment and be informed of the consequences.
• Be transferred or discharged only for medical reasons, for your own welfare or that of other patients, if The Medical Center closes, or for nonpayment unless prohibited by law. You will not be discharged because you are on Medicaid.
• Know our policy and procedure about complaints. You may submit complaints by contacting a staff member or calling (603) 577-2196 or (603) 577-2700. A timely review and response will be provided. You also have the right to lodge complaints with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services at (603) 271-4592 or (800) 852-3345
• Be free from abuse, exploitation, neglect, punishment, and involuntary seclusion.
• Not be denied appropriate care due to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or source of payment.
• Be free from chemical and physical restraints except when ordered by a physician to protect you or others from injury.
• Obtain a copy of your medical record within a reasonable amount of time and know that all information contained in your medical record will be confidential and will require your written consent to be released unless required by law.
• Have visitors, speak with others in private, send and receive mail, have access to a telephone, and keep and use personal clothing and possessions as space permits, unless to do so would infringe upon the rights of other patients.
• Have a family member or someone of your choice and your own physician notified of your admission. You may be treated by the physician of your choice, subject to Medical Center credentialing policies.
• Complete Advance Directives and appoint someone to make health care decisions for you as allowed by law.
• Have ethical issues addressed by our Ethics Committee in order to obtain guidance.
• Have our policy and procedures explained to you.

Your Responsibilities:

In order to provide our patients with a higher level of care, Southern New Hampshire Medical Center asks that our patients and families accept certain responsibilities. These may include:

Providing Information: The patient or family is responsible for providing to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present conditions, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other health-related matters. The patient or family should feel comfortable asking questions about the patient’s condition and is asked to report unexpected medical changes to the appropriate caregiver. We value your feedback, so please let us know how you are feeling about your hospital stay.

Asking Questions: Patients and families should ask questions if they do not understand their care, treatment or service or if they have any concerns relating to safety.

Following Instructions: The patient or family is responsible for following the care and treatment plan that is developed for them. If the patient or family has any concerns about a planned course of treatment, we will make every effort to adapt the treatment plan to address these concerns. If we are unable to, we will advise the patient and family about the possible consequences of alternative treatments and the risks of not following the prescribed plan.

Understanding Consequences: If the patient or family does not follow the provider’s instructions, the responsibility for the outcomes rests with them.

Rules and Regulations: Rules and regulations at The Medical Center are designed to facilitate care for all of our patients. Therefore, all patients and their families are responsible for following the standards affecting patient care and conduct.

Respect and Consideration: In the close environment of a hospital, being respectful of the rights of others is necessary, especially with regard to smoke, noise, and other distractions, as well as showing consideration of the personal property of others, including hospital property.

Financial Commitment: The Medical Center is prepared to work with patients and families to help them meet their financial obligations to the organization. Payment plans are available by calling the hospital Billing Office at (603)577-7800.

Advance Directives: Patients are responsible for providing The Medical Center with a copy of their Advance Directives, if formulated, and notifying their caregivers and The Medical Center of any changes or revocation of these documents.

Personal Property: Patients are responsible for securing any personal items or belongings of value with The Medical Center's Department of Security for storage in the facility's safe. Any items they keep with them at their bedside will be their responsibility. The Medical Center will not accept responsibility for valuables lost or stolen if not secured in the facility’s safe.