Patient Rights & Responsibilities

As a patient, you have both rights and responsibilities. You have the right to:

• Be treated with respect, dignity and concern.
• Have your cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and personal values, beliefs, and preferences respected.
• Expect treatment that meets high standards of care, is up-to-date with current medical practice and is safe and appropriate to your needs.
• Have privacy during the course of your care.
• Know the name and role of the individuals caring for you.
• Be involved in decisions about your care and informed about your diagnosis and condition.
• Know what the treatment options are, and the probable outcomes of treatment.
• Be involved in planning your care and treatment.
• Request or refuse any treatment.
• Be involved in your discharge planning.
• Play an important part in managing your pain and have the opportunity to describe your pain.
• Expect that the people caring for you will be responsive and skilled in pain prevention and relief.
• Request a second opinion.
• Prepare Advance Directives, which state your wishes for future medical care if at some point you become incapacitated or unable to communicate.
• Be given information about the outcome of your Advance Directive decisions.
• Have your Advance Directives followed.
• Appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable.
• Have a family member or someone of your choice be notified promptly of your admission to the hospital, and have your own physician notified as well.
• Have access, by written request, to any medical information contained in your medical record.
• Have all medical information about your care held in strictest confidence and available only to those directly involved in your care.
• Be given help with special needs such as guardianship or protective services.
• Participate or refuse to participate in any research activity. If you choose to be part of a research project, you have the right to know its benefits, risk or discomfort, what part of the project is research, and any costs to you.
• Complain about your care or any aspect of your visit. Complaints may be reported to the manager or director of the unit where you are being treated.
• You may also report your complaint to Quality Improvement Department at 522-5866, 522-5901 or 522-5813. After business hours, you may report your complaint to the Administrative Coordinator by asking the hospital operator to page him or her.
• Expect prompt follow-up on a complaint.
• File a grievance if you have a serious concern about quality of care or being discharged prematurely.
• In addition, you have the right to file your grievance with the Washington State Department of Health at 1-800-633-6828.
• Be free from any form of restraint including physical or chemical (drug) that restricts normal movement or inhibits mental function. Such restraints may be used only when specifically ordered by a doctor to prevent harm or injury to yourself or others.

As a patient, it is your responsibility to:

• Be accurate and complete, as much as possible, in giving your medical history.
• Tell us what medications, vitamins and other supplements you are taking.
• Carry identification with you.
• Notify your caregivers if your health changes.
• Ask questions and take part in your healthcare decisions.
• Follow the care, treatment, and service plan provided.
• Let us know if you don't understand any part of your treatment.
• Accept consequences for the outcomes if the care, treatment, and service plan are not followed.
• Follow hospital rules and regulations.
• Treat staff, visitors and other patients with respect.
• Regard other patients’ medical information as confidential.
• Respect hospital property and equipment.
• Examine your hospital bill. If you have a question, please call us.
• Pay your bill promptly. If there is a hardship, please let us know so we may help you.