Patient Rights

We respect and support your rights as a patient, recognizing that you are an individual with unique health care needs. Out of consideration for your personal dignity, we provide respectful care focused on your distinctive needs.

• Drug, Alcohol and Medication Safety Notice
• Notice of Nondiscrimination and Accessibility – English
• Notice of Nondiscrimination and Accessibility – Spanish
• Patient Rights – English
• Patient Rights – Spanish

Adult Patient Rights: 

Patients have certain rights and responsibilities. This organization believes that if patients understand those rights and responsibilities, then they can contribute to the effectiveness of their treatment and to the quality of their care. The following list of Patient Rights and Responsibilities reflects our concern and commitment to our patients. 

The patient (or patient representative, as appropriate) has a right to:

1. Impartial, reasonable access to medically indicated treatment and care regardless of age, race, color, religion, culture, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, familial status, physical or mental disability, or veteran status.
2. Care that respects the patient’s psychosocial, spiritual, cultural and personal values and expressions of belief and practice as long as these do not harm others or interfere with the course of treatment to which he or she has agreed.
3. Effective communication, including access to interpreting and translation support services to address language barriers and vision, speech, hearing, and cognitive impairments.
4. Accept or refuse visitors. EMH policy says visitors may be limited if required for the patient’s health or safety, or the safety of other patients or staff. Visitor privileges are not based upon race, ethnicity, culture, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, language, handicap, disability or socioeconomic status.
5. Access to guardianship, patient advocacy, and child/adult protective services. 
6. Be cared for by staff that is educated about patient rights and their role in supporting these rights.
7. Have a family member or representative of his/her choice and his/her personal physician notified promptly of the patient’s admission to an EMH hospital. 
8. Use clothing and other personal items. You may bring in your own clothing and other personal items as long as they are safe and not offensive to others. You will have use of a telephone and may receive mail. Phone contact, mail, and visitors may be limited at times because of your medical condition. If there are questions about these, please talk to the nurse. 

Respect and Dignity: The patient has the right to:

1. Be treated in a dignified and respectful manner.
2. Concern for comfort and dignity in all aspects of care during the final stages of life.
3. Pastoral counseling and other spiritual services. 
4. Personal privacy. 
5. Know the names and roles of people treating them. 
6. Be free from seclusion, physical restraints, and drugs used as a restraint that are not medically necessary to protect you or the staff from harm. 
7. Be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or harassment.
8. Be free from restraints of any form used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff. 
9. To request that an identified emergency contact be promptly notified of the patient’s admission.

Privacy and Confidentiality: The patient has the right to:

1. To receive upon admission/registration an initial copy of the EMH’s Notices of Privacy Practices. A patient can also request a copy at any time. 
2. All medical records and plans for your care are kept confidential. We may use and share your information as we:
   1. Treat you. 
   2. Run the organization.
   3. Bill for your services. 
   4. Help with public health and safety issues. 
   5. Do research. 
   6. Comply with the law. 
   7. Respond to organ and tissue donation requests. 
   8. Work with a medical examiner or funeral director. 
   9. Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests. 
   10. Respond to lawsuits and legal actions. 
3. Access, request amendment to, and obtain information contained in the patient’s medical records, as well as information on disclosures of health information in accordance with law and regulation, as promptly as possible.

Medical Information and Consent: The patient has the right to:

1. Refuse care and receive information on possible consequences of this refusal. 
2. Consent or refuse to participate in treatment that is considered experimental (investigational study or clinical trial) in nature, and to have a description of potential discomforts and risks fully explained prior to consent. Refusal to participate in investigational study or clinical trial does not compromise patient’s right to access the EMH’s services. 
3. Information about the outcome of care, including unanticipated outcomes. 

Medical Treatment Decisions: The patient has the right to:

1. Expect EMH staff to respond to the patient’s requests for service within its capacity, and to provide evaluation, service, or referral based on the urgency of the patient’s care needs. 
2. Change physician(s) and/or any member of the healthcare team, if the facility is able to accommodate your request.
3. Make informed decisions regarding his or her care. This right includes the patient’s right to be informed of his/her health status, be involved in care planning and treatment, and be able to request or refuse treatment as permitted by law. This right must not be construed as a mechanism to demand treatment or services deemed medically unnecessary or inappropriate. 
4. Formulate advance directives or health care directives (such as a living will, durable power of attorney for health care, or Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment ‘MOST’) concerning treatment or designate an appropriate alternate decision maker with the expectation that the parties involved in the medical care will comply with these directives to the extent permitted by law. EMH Patient Liaisons will assist with the preparation of Living Wills only.
5. Specify wishes regarding organ and tissue donation. 
6. Participate in consideration of ethical issues involving patient’s care including conflict resolution, foregoing, or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, and participation in investigational studies or clinical trials. Patients may request the Ethics Committee be convened to discuss and address ethical issues involving his/her care. Patients may request a copy of EMH’s Code of Ethical Behavior Policy and/or Conflict Resolution Involving Treatment and Care Policy. 
7. Be informed of the identity and professional status of individuals authorizing and performing procedures or treatments, any professional relationship to another health care provider or institution that might suggest a conflict of interest; the relationship to educational institutions involved in your care; and any business relationship between individuals treating you or between the organization and other health care service or educational institutions involved in your care. 
8. Obtain information from physicians and other direct caregivers in understandable terms concerning diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and plans for discharge and follow-up care, including restrictions, if any.
9. Leave the hospital, even against advice of physicians.
10. Receive an explanation for the need to transfer to another facility, including risks and benefits of the transfer and any alternatives to the transfer.
11. Be informed of continuing health care requirements following discharge.

Personal Safety: The patient has the right to:

1. Access to security and protective services, if necessary. 
2. Receive care in a setting that follows current standards of practice for environmental safety including infection control, emotional health, and physical security.

Filing Complaints: The patient has the right to:

1. Prompt resolution of complaints/grievances without threat of discharge, compromise of care or future access to care. Patient may discuss complaints with his/her attending physician, Patient Liaison, the unit Charge Nurse, House Supervisor, or Department Director. All complaints/grievances will be reported to the Grievance System Coordinator/Patient Liaison and reviewed through a formal complaint process. If the complaint is found to be justified, appropriate action will be taken to correct the situation. You will receive prompt notice of the action taken to address your grievance. In addition, the facility also has established policies and procedures to report any allegation of abuse or neglect to the proper state agencies assigned to deal with such incidents.
2. You may also contact these agencies to file a complaint/grievance:

Financial Information: The patient has the right to:

1. Examine and receive an explanation of bill for care, regardless of the source of payment.
2. Receive, if asked for, an estimate of health care charges before treatment.
3. Access to online pricing information of items and services before receiving them.

Pediatric, Adolescent, Newborn Patient Rights:

In addition to the rights of adult patients, unemancipated minors, with their parents/guardians, shall have a right to:

1. Respect for:
   a) Each child as a unique individual.
   b) The caretaking role and individual responsibility of the parent.
2. A course of treatment and care that incorporates the normal physical and physiological needs of a growing child including:
   a) Nutrition, rest, and freedom to move and explore.
   b) Play, educational and social activities essential to all children and adolescents.
   c) Reassuring presence of a caring person, especially a parent.
   d) Freedom to express feelings or fears with appropriate reactions.
   e) As much control as feasible over both self and situation.
   f) Opportunities to work through experiences before and after they occur, verbally, in play or in other appropriate ways.
   g) Recognition and reward for coping well during difficult situations.
3. Consistent, supportive, and nurturing care which:
   a) Meets the emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial needs of the child.
   b) Fosters open communication.
   c) Encourages human relationships.
4. Information about what to expect prior to, during and following procedure/experience, and support in coping with it in age appropriate language.
5. Participation of child/family in decisions affecting the child’s medical treatment.
   

The Patient/Patient Representative has the Following Responsibilities:

1. Request information and ask questions about specific problems when they arise.
2. Provide accurate and complete medical information to physicians and other caregivers.
3. Promote your own safety by becoming an active, involved, and informed member of your health care team.
4. Responsible for reporting to the health care provider whether they comprehend a treatment plan and what is expected of them.
5. Follow the treatment plan recommended by physicians and other caregivers, or if treatment is refused or not followed, accept responsibility for the medical consequences.
6. Discuss pain management options with physicians and other caregivers.
7. Be informed about which medications you are taking and why you are taking them.
8. Be, and ensure all visitors are, aware and considerate of the rights of all healthcare personnel and other patients. To ensure a safe healthcare environment, refrain from using inappropriate or threatening language or behavior.
9. Provide EMH with a copy of any advance directive, living will, or healthcare power of attorney document that may assist with identifying your wishes or a healthcare surrogate if you are unable to make those decisions yourself.
10. Remind caregivers to wash their hands before taking care of you.
11. Notify the caregiver of the patient/child’s name or nickname to which they best respond.
12. Be, and ensure all visitors are, aware of and respect laws, EMH policies, including EMH’s Tobacco-Free Policy, and EMH’s property and the property of other patients.
13. Provide necessary information to ensure processing of organization bills and make payment arrangements when necessary.
14. Provide the hospital with a copy of written advanced directives if available.
15. Review, obtain, request, and receive a detailed explanation of your hospital charges and bills.
16. Receive information and counseling on ways to help pay for the hospital bill.
17. Be respectful of all individuals providing any form of care or service to you while in or on the grounds of any EMH location. This includes following all hospital, outpatient department or clinic rules.
18. Be considerate in your language, behavior and conduct toward other people, including being mindful of noise levels, privacy and the number of visitors you have.
19. Be respectful of all EMH property.
20. Refrain from taking pictures, videos, or other recordings and/or livestreams without permission from the EMH associates, patients or visitors.
21. Keep private any and all personal information you may see or hear about providers, associates or other patients while visiting any EMH facility.
22. Comply with EMH’s tobacco, alcohol and drug-free environment, which prohibits any of these activities on any EMH grounds.