Patient Rights and Responsibilities
What every CoxHealth patient needs to know
It is the policy of CoxHealth to inform patients of their rights while
a patient. The objective of the standard is to ensure protection of each
patient's physical and emotional health and safety. By informing patients
of their rights it is believed that they will participate more effectively
in treatment decisions which may enhance the outcome of their treatment.
The patient's care includes consideration of the patient as an individual
with personal and cultural values and belief systems. All hospital employees
will respect these beliefs and values. If the patient is a neonate child
or adolescent, the patient's family and/or guardian will be involved in
the decision making throughout the course of treatment.
The following serves as the basic statement regarding patient rights
which addresses each patient’s right to notification of his or her
rights in regard to his or her care; privacy and safety; confidentiality
of his or her records; freedom from restraints from seclusion and restraints
used in behavioral management unless clinically necessary. This has been
approved by the Medical Staff and Board of Directors. In addition to this
basic statement several specialty areas have patient rights statements
including but not limited to obstetrics, pediatrics and geriatrics.
When the words "patient" or "you/your" are used,
they are
also intended to designate the patient's legally authorized
representative.
Patients have the following rights:
Respect and Dignity: Effective health care requires
trust between patients and health care providers. Staff will show respect
for each patients’ rights and spiritual needs.
Continuity of Care: CoxHealth must inform each patient
(or their representative) of the patients’ rights in advance of
furnishing or discontinuing care.
Transfer: Patients will not be transferred to another
facility or organization without an explanation of the need for transfer
and the alternative to transfer. The other facility or organization must
agree to the transfer. Patients have the right to be informed of any health
care requirements following discharge.
Participation in Care: Patients have the right to participate
in the development and implementation of their plan of care including
but not limited to the following:
- Receive treatment regardless of race, religion, disability, age,
sex or national origin
- Make informed decisions regarding their care
- Be informed of their health status
- Be involved in care planning and treatment
- Request or refuse treatment
- Formulate advance directives
- Have practitioners and staff provide care that is consistent with
these directives
- Resolving conflicts about care decisions
- Have a family member or representative and their own physician notified
promptly upon their admission to the hospital.
Participation in Research: Patients involved in research
studies or clinical trials consent and participate in care decisions throughout
the care process.
Pain: Patients have the right to expect an appropriate
response to reports of pain.
Privacy, Security, Access, Communication: CoxHealth
will respect patients’ needs that may affect care such as:
- Confidentiality of information gathered during treatment
- Privacy during care
- The need for a safe environment
- Security of self and property
- Effective communication that considers hearing, speech and visual
impairments as well as language barriers
- Physical access to the facility for the physically and visual- ly
impaired
- The right to complain about care, to have the complaints reviewed
and when possible resolved.
Access to Medical Record: Patients have the right to
access the information contained in their medical records and recommend
amendments when documentation is thought to be inaccurate or incomplete.
Abuse and Harassment: Patients have the right to be
free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
Seclusion and Restraint: Patients have the right to
be free from seclusion and restraints of any form that is not medically
necessary or is used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or
retaliation by staff.
Grievance: Patients have the right to file a grievance
in writing or by calling the appropriate patient representative:
- Hospital and Outpatient Services 269-6101
- Ferrell-Duncan Clinic 875-3334
- Regional Services Clinics 269-4343
- Cox Monett 354-1410 Cox Monett Help Line 354-4357 (HELP)
If a patient files a grievance, they will be notified about the
Cox Grievance Process.
Billing: Regardless of the source of payment for care,
patients have the right to request and receive an explanation of the bill.
Professional Relationships: Patients have the right
to know the name of the person responsible for or delivering their care
and to have questions answered in regard to relationships with other health
care providers, educational institutions and payors.
Financial Resources: Patients have the right to expect
CoxHealth to be financially prudent in the use of resources.
Patients have the following responsibilities:
Accurate Information: Provide accurate and complete
information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations,
medications, advance directives and other matters of care.
Treatment Decisions: Demonstrate an understanding of
their contemplated treatment or care decisions and follow the treatment
plan recommended by health care providers.
Appointments: Keep and be on time for appointments.
If needed, please call and cancel the appointment so that another patient
may be served. Normally, a 24 to 48 hour advance notice is expected.
Adverse Outcomes: For adverse outcomes if treatment is refused or if instructions
are not followed.
Financial Obligations: Promptly fulfills financial obligations
for medical services.
Rules and Regulations: Patients and their guests are
responsible for following CoxHealth’s rules and regulations. If
unclear or not sure, patients have the responsibility to ask.
Rights of Others: Be considerate of the rights of other
patients and CoxHealth’s personnel as well as the property of both.
Additional rights provided to you under HIPAA (Heath Insurance Portability
& Accountability Act) of 1996.
Notice of Privacy Practices: The notice of privacy practices
is available at each registration area, available on our website at www.coxhealth.com,
and can be mailed to you if you call
269-6144.
- Right to request restrictions on uses and disclosures.
- Right to access medical records.
- Right to request amendments.
- Right to request an accounting of disclosures.
- Right to request confidential communications.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of these rights,
please do not hesitate to contact the Privacy Officer at 269-6144.
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