Patient Rights and Responsibilities
Mid-Columbia Medical Center has a long-standing philosophy of providing
quality care. The patient’s right to treatment or service is respected
and supported. Each patient receives a copy of his or her rights. The
individual rights and human dignity of each Mid-Columbia Medical Center
patient are so important to us that our board of directors passed the
following resolutions formalizing this commitment.
AS A PATIENT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO:
- Reasonable access to care treatment and services within the hospital’s
capability.
- Language interpreting & translation assistance, & communication
aids & services at no cost to you.
- Receive information with assistance for any vision, speech, hearing or
cognitive impairments in a manner that meets your needs.
- Have a family member or representative of your choice with you during your
stay unless it infringes on other’s rights, creates an unsafe situation,
or is against medical or therapeutic advice.
- To receive visitors, subject to your consent, whom you designate, including,
but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner, another family member,
or a friend, and the right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time.
Restrictions or limitations on visitations include when it infringes on
other's rights, creates an unsafe situation or is against medical
or therapeutic advice.
- An assessment and interventions implemented to reduce falls based on your
risk factors, developmental age and ability to move with or without assistive devices.
- Participate or have your representative participate in the development
and implementation of your care, treatment, and services.
- Considerate and respectful care including consideration of your personal
values, beliefs and preferences, psych-social, cultural and spiritual
beliefs and personal dignity, as well as a right to pastoral and other
spiritual services.
- Not be discriminated against based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture,
language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual
orientation, and gender identity or expression.
- Formulate advance directives, (i.e. living will or power of attorney),
or be provided with assistance to prepare the same. The hospital will
follow advance directives and provide treatment and services within the
hospital’s capability and mission, and in compliance with laws and
regulations, regardless of Advance directive status.
- Access, request amendment to, and accounting of disclosures regarding your
own health information as permitted under law.
- Have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician
notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
- Know the names of all physicians or other practitioners participating in
your care and know which doctor is coordinating your care.
- Obtain from your doctor, or a delegate of your doctor, complete information
– in understandable language – concerning your care, outcomes
or unanticipated outcomes of care, and your continuing health care requirements.
- Read your medical record and expect that all records and communication
pertaining to your care will be treated confidentially, unless you give
permission to release information or reporting is required or permitted by law.
- Be fully informed by your doctor – in understandable language –
prior to your consent to any procedure or treatment, except in emergencies
or where medically inadvisable, and have it documented to your patient
record. (The information supplied rests in the professional judgment of
your doctor, but usually includes a description of the procedure or treatment,
the significant risks involved, benefits, side effects, reasonable medical
alternatives, and the probable length of time you will be incapacitated.)
- Make informed decisions, or delegate your representative (as allowed by
law) to make informed decisions, concerning your health care including
the right to refuse care, medical or surgical treatment and/or services,
forego or withdraw life-sustaining treatment or withhold resuscitative
services, and to be informed of the medical consequences of your refusal.
- Personal privacy in the discussion and performance of your health care.
- Be informed of any human experimentation and research/education projects
that affect patient care.
- Be informed, before transfer to another health care facility, of the need
for the transfer and the alternatives to transfer.
- Designate a representative decision-maker. In the event you are incapable
of understanding a proposed treatment or procedure or are unable to communicate
your wishes regarding your care, your representative will make decisions
on your behalf.
- Withdraw the designation of a representative at any time.
- A chaperone upon your request, or the request of a staff member.
- Receive care in a safe setting and to be free from all forms of abuse or
harassment including mental, physical, sexual, emotional, humiliation,
verbal abuse and neglect or exploitation, and have access to protective services.
- Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
- Examine your bill and have it explained, regardless of the sources of payment.
- A copy of the visitation rights, including the right to receive visitors
designated by you.
- Freely voice complaints and recommend changes without being subject to
coercion, discrimination, reprisal or unreasonable interruption of care,
treatment, or services.
- Report concerns related to care, treatment, services, and patient safety
issues by asking to speak with the Nurse Manager/Supervisor or requesting
to speak with a Quality Resources by calling 541-296-7285 (ext. 7285 from
a hospital phone).
- File a formal grievance and receive a return notification within 7 days
regarding the processing of the grievance. To obtain a copy of our grievance
process handout, please contact Patient and Visitor Services at 541-296-7215.
-
Lodge a grievance with the following agencies:
Oregon Health Authority,
800 NE Oregon St. #465,
Portland Oregon, 97232,
Phone #: 971-673-0540,
Fax: (971) 673-0556,
E-Mail: mailbox.hclc@state.or.us
https://www.oregon.gov
BFCC-QIO Program,
Kepro, 5700 Lombardo Center Dr., Ste.100,
Seven Hills, Ohio 44131,
Helpline call: 1-888-305-6759,
TTY: 1-855-843-4776
- Contact the Joint Commission’s Office of Quality Monitoring to report
any concerns or register complaints about a Joint Commission-accredited
health care organization by either calling 1-800-994-6610 or E-mail: complaint@jointcommission.org
Mid-Columbia Medical Center wants to encourage you to communicate your
concerns for safety and quality of care provided by our facility to any
member of our staff. We believe that communication with our patients and
their families about all aspects of their care, treatment, or services
is an important characteristic of a culture of safety. When you know what
to expect, you are more aware of potential errors and choices regarding
your care. You and your family are an important source of information
about unsafe practices or hazardous conditions and we welcome your participation.
As a patient, you have the following responsibilities:
- A responsibility to actively participate in decisions regarding your health care.
- A responsibility to be as accurate and complete as possible when asked
for information about your medical history.
- A responsibility to be honest and direct about everything that happens
to you as a patient.
- A responsibility to let your doctor or nurse know if you are concerned
about a treatment, or if you feel you cannot or will not follow a specific
treatment plan.
- A responsibility to follow instructions and to accept the consequences
if your treatment plan is not followed.
- A responsibility to notify your doctor or nurse at once if you notice,
or think you notice, any perceived risks in your care or unexpected changes
in your condition.
- A responsibility to notify your doctor or nurse at once if you have any
concerns about your hospital care.
- A responsibility to ask questions promptly for clarification if you do
not understand instructions or what is asked of you and why it was asked.
- A responsibility to be respectful and considerate of staff and other patients,
and to maintain civil language & conduct in interactions.
- A responsibility to use hospital property and equipment only for their
intended use.
- A responsibility to follow the hospital’s rules and regulations.
- A responsibility to meet your financial commitments and examine your bill
and ask questions you have regarding charges or method of payment, and
meet financial commitments made with our organization