You have the right to have access to the resources of the Hospital necessary for your care without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, handicap, or source of payment.
- To talk openly with and question your physician, in language you understand, about:
- Your diagnosis and prescribed treatment, risks and expected outcome.
- Why treatments and tests are done and who does them.
- Being informed of medically significant alternatives for care or treatment.
- Your wish for a consultation or second opinion from another physician.
- The need to transfer to another facility and of the alternatives to such a transfer.
- Your wish to change physicians and/or hospitals.
- Instructions for continuing health care requirements following your discharge.
- Participation in the consideration of ethical issues that arise regarding your care.
- Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
You have the right to:
- Receive an explanation of all documents you are asked to sign.
- Know the identity of your health care providers.
- Change your mind about any procedure for which you have given your consent.
- Not be subjected to non-emergency procedure without appropriate informed consent.
- Refuse to sign a consent form you do not fully understand.
- Refuse treatment, including resuscitations when death is imminent and to be informed of the risks of this action.
- Be informed about outcome of care.
- Refuse to participate in medical training programs and research projects.
- Register privacy and confidentiality concerns by contacting the Hospital Privacy Officer-at 706-754-3113 ext. 1121 or by filing a written complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
You should expect:
- Your personal privacy and confidentiality to be respected to the fullest extent consistent with the care prescribed, and to receive our Notice of Privacy Practice.
- Your personal value and belief systems to be respected
- Reasonable safety insofar as the Hospital practice and environment are concerned.
- Freedom from any abuse or harassment.
- Freedom from seclusion or restraint that is not medically necessary.
- Access to people from outside the hospital or the option to refuse access.
- Records pertaining to your care, including the source of payment, to be kept confidential.
- Access to your records to be granted only to you or to those persons to whom you grant written permission, or who are permitted by law.
- The option to request: a copy of your records, amendment of information, an accounting of disclosures, and restrictions of disclosure.
- To receive an itemized copy of your hospital bill.
- To request and receive information about advance directives.
You have the responsibility to:
- Provide accurate, complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters related to your health.
- Ask for an explanation if you do not understand documents you are asked to sign, or anything related to your care.
- Follow the care prescribed or recommended to you by the physicians, nurses and other allied health care personnel, and remember you are responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow instructions.
- Know and follow the rules of the Hospital.
- Keep appointments, and call to cancel appointment as soon as possible.
- Respect the rights and privacy of others.
- Assure that the financial obligations associated with your care are fulfilled.
- Communicate questions or concerns about your hospital visit to a hospital administrator.