Assisting the patient to achieve his or her optimal health potential requires a working partnership involving the patient, his/her family or significant other, physician(s) and the staff of the Southwest Ohio Ambulatory Surgery Center. This policy on patient rights is applicable to parents and/or legal guardians of children and adolescents. As partners, it is important that each understands the basic rights and responsibilities which are inherent in caring for patients at the Surgery Center.
The Core Values of Excellence, Mercy, Human Dignity, Justice, Sacredness of Life, and Service are evidenced in these basic rights and responsibilities.
The following represents our interpretation of the basic framework on which our partnership exists. These rights and responsibilities will be displayed prominently in the Surgery Center so that they can be read by the patients.
We believe that Southwest Ohio Ambulatory Surgery Center and all its employees are committed :
- To respect the patient's right to be informed of policies and practices that relate to patient care, treatment and responsibilities;
- To provide the patient access to one level of care, that is medically indicated, without regard to race, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability or sources of payment for this care:
- To give the patient competent, considerate and respectful care which respects the patient's personal value and belief systems and recognizes his/her dignity as a human being in need;
- To be thoughtfully sensitive to the patient's family or significant other's needs as they become apparent;
- To allow patients to wear appropriate clothing and religious or other symbolic items, as long as they do not interfere with diagnostic or surgical procedures or treatment;
- To allow patients the right to express spiritual beliefs and cultural practices that do not harm others or interfere with the planned course of medical therapy;
- To promptly and courteously respond to all reasonable requests which do not conflict with physician's orders, health requirements and/or the obligations of the Surgery Center. Patients shall be notified of any policy, as promptly as possible, that might affect their choice within the institution;
- To follow the guidelines of the Patient Self-Determination Act and support patient's rights m accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio;
- To protect the patient's right to personal privacy and informational confidentiality in accordance with the law and professional ethics;
- To allow patients to refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the Surgery Center, including visitors, or persons officially connected with the Surgery Center but not directly involved in his or her care;
- To allow the patient to request a transfer to a different room/area if another patient/visitor in the room is disturbing him/her. This request will be honored depending upon availability of an equally suitable room/area;
- To inform the patient of the identity and professional status of individuals providing service including which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for the care of the patient;
- To inform the patient, upon request, of the relationships of this Center to other health care and educational providers and payers when they pertain to care;
- To be aware that the patient may have a need for continued care after discharge and, if this is indicated, to discuss it with the patient and attending physician;
- To refer to the Nursing Director conflicts or problems that arise concerning the care of the patient that cannot be resolved by the patient’s physician or other care givers;
- To provide for the patient's personal safety with respect to the practices and environment of the Center;
- To provide the patient access to people outside the Center by means of visitors and by verbal and written communications, and provide interpreter services whenever needed;
- To provide the patient with timely and accurate answers to questions concerning charges including available payment methods regardless of the sources of payment;
- To provide the patient with information regarding the immediate and long term financial implications of treatment choices, insofar as they are known;
- To be made aware of the Center’s policies and procedures regarding advance directives;
We rely upon the patient's physician to communicate with the patient (or with family if the patient's condition prevents direct communication) and…
- To provide the patient understandable information, as he/she deems appropriate in consideration of health status, regarding the patient's diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and the possible length of recuperation;
- To inform the patient in advance, when possible, of any significant risks involved in any treatment or care, in order that the patient may provide informed consent and participate in the decisions involving his/her health care;
- To remind the patient that it is his or her right to decline any treatment, to advise the patient of alternatives, and to inform the patient of any possible medical and physical ramifications which could result from such refusal;
- To advise the patient in advance of any clinical training or research program, experimental treatments and ethical issues which would involve the patient, and the right to participate or refuse such involvement. The patient who declines to participate in research or experimentation is entitled to the most effective care that the Center can otherwise provide.
- To inform the patient of the need for transfer to any other health facility including an explanation of the risks, benefits and alternatives associated with such transfer;
- To arrange for the transfer of a patient to another health care facility which has agreed to accept the patient for transfer;
- To recommend a physician or other consultant upon the patient's request or when otherwise indicated;
- To provide the patient reasonable continuity of care while he/she is at Southwest Ohio Ambulatory Surgery Center and, if indicated, following the patient's discharge;
- To listen and discuss with the patient any questions concerning services and to provide information to the patient about the mechanism for review and resolution of any patient concerns or complaints.
We expect the Patient:
- To be involved in care decisions and to follow, to the best of his/her ability, all reasonable instructions given by the physician and others providing care, including nurses and other associates, and/or to question any instructions not understood;
- To accept responsibility for his/her actions if he/she refuses treatment or fails to follow instructions given by the physician or others providing care;
- To provide adequate information concerning health, medications, medical history, advance directives, and past hospitalizations and to report unexpected changes in physical condition to the physician or other care givers;
- To keep, to the best of his/her ability, all scheduled appointments;
- To follow all Center rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct and to be respectful of the property of other persons and of the Center;
- To show consideration for other patients by following all Center rules and regulations pertaining to smoking, visitors, noise, privacy and general conduct;
- To provide information concerning his/her ability to pay for services, and to work with the Center in assuring that he/she pays all charges according to ability to pay;
- To designate a representative decision maker in the event that the patient is incapable of understanding a proposed treatment or procedure or is unable to communicate his/her wishes regarding care;
- To seek assistance from the Nursing Director of the Surgery Center for resolution of conflicts or problems concerning care that cannot be resolved by the attending physician or other care givers.
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