Patient Rights & Responsibilities >>

Full Text Version

Southern New Hampshire Medical Center (SNHMC) 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 contact Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Risk Management (603-577-2732) and/or Quality Management (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 (The 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

.

I. The patient shall be treated with consideration, respect, and full recognition of his dignity and individuality, including privacy in treatment and personal care and including being informed of the name, licensure status, and staff position of all those with whom the patient has contact, pursuant to RSA 151:3-b.

II. The patient shall be fully informed of their rights and responsibilities and of all procedures governing patient conduct and responsibilities. This information will be provided orally and in writing before or at admission, except for emergency admissions. Receipt of the information will be acknowledged by the patient in writing. When a patient lacks the capacity to make informed judgments, the signing must be by the person legally responsible for the patient.

III. The patient shall be informed in writing in language that he can understand, before or at the time of admission and as necessary during his stay, of the facility's basic per diem rate and of those services included and not included in the basic per diem rate. A statement of services that are not normally covered by Medicare or Medicaid shall also be included in this disclosure.

IV. The patient shall be fully informed by a health care provider, of his medical condition, health care needs and diagnostic test results, including the manner by which such results will be provided and the expected time interval between testing and receiving results, unless medically inadvisable and so documented in the medical record, and shall be given the opportunity to participate in the planning of his total care and medical treatment, to refuse treatment, to be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal, and to be involved in experimental research upon his written consent only.

V. The patient shall be transferred or discharged after appropriate discharge planning only for medical reasons, for his welfare or that of other patients, if the facility ceases to operate, or for nonpayment for the patient's stay, except as prohibited by title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act. No patient shall be voluntarily discharged from this facility because the patient becomes eligible for Medicaid as a source of payment.

VI. The patient shall be encouraged and assisted throughout his stay to exercise his rights as a patient and citizen. The patient may voice and/or submit complaints or grievances regarding any aspect of care or service and recommend changes in policies and services to facility staff or outside representatives free from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal. Complaints or grievances may also be directed to The Medical Center's Administration by contacting (603) 577-2196 or (603) 577-2700 and speaking directly with a representative of administration or by leaving a detailed voice message if a representative is not available. Complaints may also be sent to: SNHHS, Attn. Administration PO Box 2014 Nashua NH 03061. Grievances shall be directed to the Senior Operations team.

VII. The patient shall have the right to a timely and fair review of the grievance and will be provided a written notice of the Senior Operations Team's decision that contains steps taken on behalf of the patient to investigate the grievance, results of the investigation, date of review completion and name of the hospital contact person.

VIII. Patients have the right to lodge complaints with a State Agency or HCFA by contacting the State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Program Support, Bureau of Health Facilities Administration, 129 Pleasant Street, Concord NH 03301- 3857. Telephone (603) 271-4592 or NH Toll Free (800) 852-3345.

IX. The patient shall be free from emotional, psychological, sexual and physical abuse and from exploitation, neglect, corporal punishment and involuntary seclusion.

X. The patient shall not be denied appropriate care on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, or source of payment, nor shall any such care be denied on account of the patient’s sexual orientation.

XI. The patient shall be permitted to manage his personal financial affairs. If the patient authorizes the facility in writing to assist in this management, and the facility so consents, the assistance shall be carried out in accordance with the patient's rights under this subdivision and in conformance with state laws and rules.

XII. The patient shall be free from chemical and physical restraints except when they are authorized in writing by a physician for a specific and limited time necessary to protect the patient or others from injury. In an emergency, restraints may be authorized by the designated professional staff member in order to protect the patient or others from injury. The staff member must promptly report such action to the physician and document same in the medical records.

XIII. The patient shall be ensured confidential treatment of all information contained in his personal and clinical record, including that stored in an automatic data bank, and his written consent shall be required for the release of information to anyone not otherwise authorized by law to receive it. Medical information contained in the medical records at any facility licensed under this chapter shall be deemed to be the property of the patient. The patient shall be entitled to a copy of such records, for reasonable costs as noted in RSA 151:21and RSA 332: I:1, upon his request.

XIV. The patient shall not be required to perform services for the facility. Where appropriate for therapeutic or diversional purposes and agreed to by the patient, such services may be included in his plan of care and treatment.

XV. The patient shall be free to communicate with, associate with, and meet privately with anyone, including family and resident groups, unless to do so would infringe upon the rights of other patients. The patient may send and receive unopened personal mail. The patient has the right to have regular access to the unmonitored use of a telephone.

XVI. The patient shall be free to participate in activities of any social, religious, and community groups, unless to do so would infringe upon the rights of other patients.

XVII. The patient shall be free to retain and use personal clothing and possessions as space permits, provided it does not infringe on the rights of other patients.

XVIII. The patient has a right to personal privacy, shall be entitled to privacy for visits and, if married, to share a room with his or her spouse if both are patients in the same facility and where both patients consent, unless it is medically contraindicated and so documented by the physician. The patient has the right to reside and receive services in the facility with reasonable accommodation of individual needs and preferences, including choice of room and roommate, except when the health and safety of the individual or other patients would be endangered.

XIX. The patient has a right to have a family member or representative of his or her choice and his or her own physician notified promptly of his or her admission to the hospital.

XX. The patient shall be entitled to be treated by the physician of his choice, subject to reasonable rules and regulations of the facility regarding the facility's credentialing process.

XXI. The patient shall be entitled to have his parents, if a minor, or his spouse, or next of kin, or his personal representative, if an adult, visit the facility, without restriction, if the patient is considered terminally ill by the physician responsible for his care.

XXII. The patient shall be entitled to receive representatives of approved organizations as provided in RSA 152.28.

XXIII. The patient shall not be denied admission to the facility based on Medicaid as a source of payment when there is an available space in the facility.

XXIV. The patient has the right to formulate Advance Directives and appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on his/her behalf to the extent permitted by law.

XXV. The patients and their designated representatives have the right to address ethical issues to the Hospital's Ethics Committee for guidance or consideration of ethical differences in value systems or ethical dilemmas.

XXVI. The facility shall make all reasonable efforts to explain the policy and procedures so that a patient may understand, regardless of his or her mental capacity, and shall have the explanation witnessed by a third person. For a minor or a patient with a legal guardian, both the patient and the parent or legal guardian shall be fully informed of the policy and procedures.

XXVII. The patient has a right to appropriate assessment and management of his or her pain/discomfort.