For Patients

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Patient Rights

  1. The patient has the right to receive medical treatment regardless of race, creed, national origin, or sources of payment for care and if there are assistive devices or language needs that provisions will be made to accommodate these needs.
  2. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care that addresses the patient's personal values and belief systems to include spiritual, cultural, and psychosocial needs.
  3. The patient or legally responsible person has the right to obtain complete current information concerning diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, in terms the patient can be reasonably expected to understand.  The patient has a right to know the physician responsible for coordinating his/her care.
  4. The patient has the right to receive information necessary to give informed consent prior to any procedure and/or treatment.  Except in emergencies, informed consent should include but not necessarily be limited to the specific procedure and/or treatment, the medically significant risks involved, alternatives, and the probable duration of incapacitation.  The patient has the right to exclude any or all family members from participating in his/her care decision.  The patient may participate in the planning of his/her care.
  5. Patients also have a right to know, to question and to understand the rationale for therapies such as medications they are receiving. 
  6. The patient has the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of his/her action.
  7. The patient has the right to visual and auditory privacy.  A patient may request another room if not satisfied with room assignment.  The patient may wear personal clothing, religious and symbolic items as long as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment. 
  8. The hospital supports, encourages and provides education when necessary to help patients maintain good standards for personal hygiene and grooming.
  9. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment are confidential and those not directly involved in the patient's care must have permission to be present.
  10. The patient has the right to access information in his/her clinical record except under limited circumstances and to expect that all communications and records pertaining to his/her care will be treated as confidential.
  11. The patient has the right to expect that within its capacity a hospital must provide reasonable response to a request by a patient for services.  The hospital must provide evaluation, service and/or referral as indicated by the urgency of the case. 
  12. The patient has the right to obtain information as to any relationship of this hospital to other health care and educational institutions insofar as his/her care is concerned.
  13. The patient has the right to be advised if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting his/her care or treatment.  The patient has the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.
  14. The patient has the right to expect reasonable continuity of care and to have discharge planning/assessment. The patient has the right to request an assessment with assistance for post discharge needs. 
  15. The patient has the right to know financial implication(s) of treatment/care choices and to be informed of services that will not be Acovered@ by Medicare or third party payor.
  16.  The patient has the right to examine and receive an explanation of his/her bill regardless of the source of payment.
  17.  The patient has the right to know what rules and regulations apply to their conduct as a patient.
  18.  The patient has the right to receive visitors and verbal or written communication.
  19.  The patient has the right to know the facility's policies regarding living will, advance directives, and durable power of attorney.  The patient has the right to formulate and communicate wishes regarding health care decisions and to expect that these will be recognized.  Provision of care will not be conditioned on the existence of an advance directive.  An Ethics Committee exists within the facility to address ethical issues.
  20. The patient has the right to voice grievances free from restraint, discrimination or reprisal to facility staff, administrator, or to the State Ombudsman, Office of Aging, South Dakota Dept. of Health, 700 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD  57501-2291, phone: (605) 773-3656.
  21. The patient has the right to receive information about and have access to protective services.