Patient Rights

Patient Rights

• Patients rights include impartial access to treatment or accommodations that are available or medically indicated, regardless of sex, race, age, cultural, economic, educational or religious background, national origin, gender identification, sexual orientation, disability or the source of payment of care.  These rights also apply to neonatal, pediatric and adolescent patients and their parent/guardian.
• Patients have the right to a response to any reasonable request made for service within the hospital’s capacity and mission.  Patients have the right to considerate and respectful care, with consideration given to the psychosocial, spiritual and cultural variables that influence the perceptions of illness.
• Patient rights, in the terminal stages of illness, can receive care which optimizes comfort and dignity through the receipt of those treatments desired by the patient, effective pain management and acknowledgment of psychosocial and spiritual concerns of the patient and family regarding dying and the expression of grief, including access to pastoral care.
• Patients have the right to actively participate in decisions regarding medical care.  To the extent permitted by law, this includes the right to refuse treatment and to be informed of medical consequences of such refusal.
• Patients have the right to formulate advanced directives and appoint a surrogate to make Healthcare decisions to the extent permitted by law.  Patients have the right to have all their rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care.  They have the right to have hospital staff and practitioners comply with these directives.
• Patients have the right to the withholding of resuscitative services or the withdrawal of life support measures, to the extent permitted by law.

• Patients have the right to receive information about their illness, the course of treatment and prospects for recovery in terms that they can understand.

• Patients have the right to know the name of the primary physician responsible for coordinating their care, and the names of other physicians and non-physicians involved in care.
• Patients have the right to communicate with visitors, receive mail, and telephone calls.  Any hospital restriction will include evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness, an explanation to the patient and inclusion in the decision.
• Patients have the right to receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as they need to give informed consent or to refuse treatment. Except in emergencies, this information will include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved in treatment, excepted benefits, alternate courses of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each, and the name of the person carrying out the procedure or treatment.
• Medicare patients have the right to have any concerns of quality of care or premature discharge reviewed by a peer review organization. The patient may request a review.   The hospital must comply with his/her request.
• Patients have the right to be informed of the mechanism for the review and resolution of concerns regarding the quality of care.  The patient can contact the Quality Management Coordinator at 365-3561 regarding grievances.  The patient also has the right to file a complaint with the appropriate state agency.  Contact the Bureau of Facility Standards – DHW , PO Box 83720, 450 W. State St., Boise Idaho 83720. You can also call (208) 334-6626 or use our Contact Us form.
• Patients, or a designated representative, have the right to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in the care of the patient.
• Patient rights include the ability to be told if the hospital/physician proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation as part of the care or treatment.  They have the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.
• Patients have the right to privacy concerning the medical care program.  Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential. Patients have the right to be told the reason for any individual’s presence.
• Patients have the right to security, personal privacy, and confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to their care and stay in the hospital.
• The patient has the right to personal privacy, to receive care in a safe setting, and to be free from all forms of abuse and harassment.
• The patient has the right to have a family member or other representative and one’s physician promptly notified of admission.
• The patient has the right to be free from restraints (chemical or physical) of any sort unless they are medically necessary.
• Patients and/or their legal representative have access to the information contained in the medical record. Written permission will be obtained before medical records can be made available to anyone not directly concerned with their care.

• Patient rights include the right to leave the hospital, even against the advice of their physician.

• Patients have the right to reasonable continuity of care and to know, in advance, the time and location of appointments as well as the identity of those providing the care.

• Patients have the right to be told of continuing health care requirements following the discharge from the hospital.

• Patients rights include being able to examine and receive an explanation of their bill, regardless of source of payment.

• Patient rights include the right to know which hospital rules and policies apply to their conduct while a patient.

• Patient rights include the right to access protective services.

• Patients have the right to be informed of his or her visitation rights, including any clinical restrictions or limitations on such rights.

• Patients have the right, subject to his or her consent, to receive the visitors, whom he or she designated, including but not limited to a spouse, domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. The patient has the right to withdraw consent at anytime and deny visitation rights to anyone they choose.

• Patient rights include the protection of visitation time that cannot be restricted, limited, or otherwise denied on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Patients have the right to be assured that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient privileges.

• Patients have the right to be assured that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient privileges.

Patient Responsibilities

• Patients have the responsibility to provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to their health. They must report whether they clearly understand a contemplated source of action, and what is expected of them.
• Patients are responsible for following the treatment plans recommended by the primary practitioner. This may include following the instructions of nurses and allied health personnel as they carry out the coordinated plan of care, implement the responsible practitioner’s order and enforce the applicable hospital rules and regulations. Patients are responsible for keeping appointments and when they are unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the practitioners or hospital.
• Patients are responsible for their actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow the practitioner’s instructions.
• Patients are responsible for following hospital rules and regulations affecting their care and conduct.
• Patients are responsible for considering the rights of other patients and hospital personnel, and for assisting in control of noise and the number of visitors. They must respect the property of other persons and of the hospital.

Valor Health is a non-smoking institution. (2077 12/2010 WKM)