As a patient of St. Charles Surgical Hospital, you have the right and responsibility to be informed and participate in every decision regarding your treatment and care. When patients understand these rights and responsibilities they become partners in their care. Below we have outlined this information.

Your Responsibilities as a Patient

You have the responsibility to provide a complete and accurate medical history.

You are responsible for asking the care provider when you do not understand medical words or instructions about your plan of care.

You are responsible for following your plan of care. If you are unable or unwilling to follow the plan of care, you are responsible for telling your care provider. You are responsible for the outcomes of not following your plan of care.

You have the responsibility to be respectful of other patients, staff and property.

You have the responsibility to follow all hospital rules and regulations.

You have the responsibility to provide required information regarding payment of charges.

You are responsible for providing information for insurance and for working with the hospital to arrange payment when needed.

Should you have any additional questions regarding your rights and responsibilities as a patient, contact any of our staff members.

Patient Satisfaction

We welcome your comments on our facility. As a patient you will receive a patient survey in the mail. Please return the completed survey to us. Your comments will be used to improve our service as well as provide our staff with important information about how they are doing.

Expressing Your Concern

You and your family have the right to have your compliments, concerns and complaints addressed in a timely manner. Sharing your concerns and complaints will not compromise your access to care, treatment and services. The best person to help you is often your primary nurse. If your nurse is unable to resolve your complaint you can report your concern or complaint by calling the Quality/Risk Manager.

 

You and your representative have the right to lodge a concern or complaint with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

To submit a complaint in writing:
Department of Health and Hospitals
500 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Or by telephone: 1-866-280-7737

 

Release of Information to Family/Significant Other
For your continued privacy, we will request that you provide us with the specific name(s) that you would allow medical information to be released to during your hospital stay. Hospital identifier information will be provided to you for distribution to the name(s) indicated. These individuals will need the hospital identifier information if they should call the facility requesting information regarding your health status while you are a patient. We recommend that you designate one or two people who can provide information to others.

YOUR RIGHTS AS A PATIENT

Access to Care

You have the right to receive treatment and medical services without discrimination based on race, age, religion, national origin, sex, sexual preference, handicap, diagnosis, ability to pay or source of payment.

Respect and Dignity

You have the right to be treated with consideration, dignity, respect, recognition of your individuality and privacy.

Communication

You have the right to receive, as soon as possible, the services of a translator or interpreter to facilitate communication between you and the hospital’s health care personnel. You have the right to have written information that is appropriate to your age, understanding, and the language that you speak.

Participation in Care

You have the right to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care. You or your representative has the right to make informed decisions regarding your care. Your rights include being informed of your health status, being involved in care planning and treatment and being able to request or refuse treatment.

Identification of Participants

You have the right to be informed of the names and functions of all physicians and other health care professionals who are providing direct care. You have the right to be informed if the hospital has authorized other health care and/or educational institutions to participate in your treatment.

Pastoral or Spiritual Services

You have the rights to pastoral and other spiritual services.

Advance Directives

You have the right to formulate advance directives and to have hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with these directives.

Refusing Medical Care

You have the right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment, including forgoing or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment or withholding resuscitative services.

Family and Physician Notification

You have the right to have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.

Privacy

You have the right to personal privacy.

Safety

You have the right to receive care in a safe setting and be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.

Patient Records

You have the right to confidentiality of your medical records. You have the right to access information contained in your medical records within a reasonable time frame.

Restraints and Seclusion

You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion that are not medically necessary or used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.

Research

You have the right to be included in experimental research only when you have been given informed, written consent to such participation or when a guardian provides such consent if you are not competent, in accordance with appropriate laws and regulations.

Disclosure

You are your representative have the rights to be informed of outcomes of care treatment, and service.

Follow-up and Discharge Instructions

You have the right to be informed by the attending physician and other providers of health care services about any continuing health care requirements after your discharge from the hospital.

Billing

You have the right to examine and receive an explanation of your bill regardless of source of payment, and may receive upon request, information related to financial assistance available through the hospital.

Safety

In the event that it is necessary to transfer you to another facility, you have the right to a full explanation of the reason for transfer, provisions for continuing care and acceptance by the receiving institution except in the case of an emergency.

Pain Management

You have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.