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Patient Rights
 Patient Rights
The basic rights of human beings for independence of expression, decision, and action and concern for personal dignity and human relationships are of great importance.
Lincoln Medical Center recognizes a prime responsibility to assure these rights are preserved for its patients. In addition, hospitals have the right to expect behavior on the behalf of patients and their relatives and friends that, considering the nature of the patient's illness, is reasonable and responsible.
Access to Care/Nondiscrimination
Individuals shall be accorded impartial access to treatment or accommodations available or medically indicated, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, ancestry, disability, or sources of payment for care.
Respect and Dignity
The patient has the right to considerate, respectful care at all times and under all circumstances, with recognition of his/her personal dignity.
Privacy and Confidentiality
The patient has the right within the law to personal and informational privacy, as manifested by the following rights:
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To refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the hospital, including visitors or persons officially connected with the hospital but not directly involved in the patient's care. |
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To wear appropriate personal clothing and religious or other symbolic items, as long as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment |
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To be interviewed and examined in surroundings designed to assure reasonable visual and auditory privacy. This includes the right to have a person of one's own sex present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment, or procedure performed by a health professional of the opposite sex, and the right to not remain disrobed any longer than is required for accomplishing the medical purpose for which the patient was asked to disrobe. |
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To expect any discussion or consultation involving his/her case will be conducted discreetly and that individuals not directly involved in the patient's care will not be present without his/her permission. |
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To have his/her medical record read only by individuals directly involved in his/her treatment or in the monitoring of its quality. |
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To expect all communications and other records pertaining to his/her care, including the source of payment for treatment, to be treated as confidential. |
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To request a transfer to another room if another patient or visitor in the room is unreasonably disturbing the patient by smoking or other actions. |
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To be placed in protective privacy when considered necessary for personal safety. |
Personal Safety
The patient has the right to expect reasonable safety insofar as the hospital's practices and environment are concerned.
Identity
The patient has the right to know the identity and professional status of individuals providing service to him/her and to know which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his/her care. This includes the patient's right to know of the existence of any professional relationship among individuals who are treating him/her, as well as the relationship to any other healthcare or educational institution involved in his/her care. Participation by patients in clinical training programs or in the gathering of data for research purposes should be voluntary.
Communication
The patient has the right of access to people outside the hospital by means of visitors and by verbal and written communication.
When the patient does not speak or understand the predominate language of the community, the patient should have access to an interpreter. This is particularly true where language barriers are a continuing problem.
Information
The patient has the right to obtain, from the practitioner responsible for coordinating the patient's care, complete and current information concerning his/her diagnosis (to the degree known), treatment, and any known prognosis. This information should be communicated in terms the patient can reasonably be expected to understand. When it is not medically advisable to give information to the patient, the information should be made available to the legally-authorized guardian or representative.
Consent
The patient has the right to reasonable, informed participation in decisions involving his/her healthcare. To the degree possible, this should be based on a clear, concise explanation of his/her condition and of all proposed technical procedures, including the possibilities for any risk of mortality or serious side effects, problems related to recuperation, and probability of success. The patient should not be subjected to any procedure without his/her voluntary, competent, and understanding consent or the consent of his/her legally-authorized representative. Where medically significant alternatives for care or treatment exist, the patient should be so informed.
The patient has the right to know who is responsible for authorizing and performing the procedures or treatment
The patient should be informed if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational projects affecting the patient's care or treatment, and the patient has the right to refuse to participate in any such activity.
Restraints
Each patient has the right to be restraint-free except in emergency situations based on individually-assessed needs or as a part of the individual treatment plan.
Advance Directives
Patients are entitled to make advance directives including Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care.
Pain Management
Each patient has the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
End-of-Life Care
Care is provided at the end of life to both the patient and the family with sensitivity and respect for their values, religion, and philosophy. The patient, and when appropriate, the family, is involved in every aspect of care. Emotional, spiritual, psychosocial, social, and cultural needs are respected.
Consultation
The patient, at his/her own request and expense, has the right to consult with a specialist or other physician.
Refusal of Treatment
The patient may refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. When refusal of treatment by the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative prevents the provision of appropriate care in accordance with professional standards, the relationship with the patient may be terminated upon reasonable notice.
Transfer and Continuity of Care
A patient may not be transferred to another facility or organization unless the patient has received a complete explanation of the need for the transfer and of the alternatives to such a transfer, and unless the transfer is acceptable to the other facility. The patient, or the patient's delegate, has the right to be informed by the practitioner responsible for his/her care of any continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.
Hospital Charges
Regardless of the source of payment for care, the patient has the right to request and receive an itemized and detailed statement of his/her total bill for services rendered in the hospital. The patient has the right to timely notice prior to termination of his/her eligibility for reimbursement by any third-party payor for the cost of his/her care once such information is made available to the hospital.
Hospital Rules and Regulations
The patient shall be informed of the hospital's rules and regulations applicable to his/her conduct as a patient. Patients are entitled to information about the hospital's mechanism for the initiation, review, and resolution of patient complaints. |
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