Your Patient Rights
When it comes to your patient rights and responsibilities, Nacogdoches Medical Center wants you to be informed. The following “Bill of Patient's Rights,” endorsed by the administration and staff of our facility, applies to all patients. Patient rights may be exercised by the patient’s legally authorized representative, or the patient’s surrogate decision maker, if the patient lacks decision-making capacity, is legally incompetent or is a minor.
- Non-Discrimination.
The right to care in a hospital that prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. - Request for medical care.
The right to a reasonable response to a request for medical care as long as it is within the hospital’s capacity, its stated mission, and applicable law and regulation - Emergencies.
The right to receive an immediate assessment in emergency situations - Notification of admission.
The right to request that your family and doctor be promptly notified of your admission to the hospital - Effective communication.
The right to receive information in a manner he or she understands. Patients with vision, speech, hearing, or cognitive impairments will receive information in a manner that meets the patient’s needs. - Patient rights.
The right to receive a copy and explanation of your rights - Dignity and respect.
- Advance directives.
- Ethics.
The right to participate in discussions about ethical issues that arise in the care of the patient - Abuse.
The right to be free of mental, physical, sexual or verbal abuse, neglect, exploitation, or harassment - Protective and advocacy services.
The right to access protective and advocacy services; This includes the right to request and have a chaperone present during certain sensitive physical examinations and treatments that involve the reproductive and sexual organs, or those that may be perceived as potentially threatening to a patient’s sense of privacy or modesty or may induce feelings of vulnerability or embarrassment. - Freedom from restraints.
The right to be free of restraints and seclusion in any form when used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience for the staff or retaliation - Personal privacy and confidentiality of information.
The right to personal privacy and confidentiality of health information (refer to Nacogdoches Medical Center Notice of Privacy Practices); the right to access the information contained in the patient’s medical record. - Visitation rights.
The hospital allows a family member, friend or other individuals to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of stay unless the individual’s presence infringes on other patients’ rights, safety or is medically or therapeutically contra-indicated. With consent, the patient may receive visitors, including but not limited to a spouse, a domestic partner (including same-sex domestic partners), family members and friends; the patient, or his or her legally authorized representative or surrogate decision-maker, has the right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time. Other restrictions and limitations are described in the Patient Handbook and on the hospital’s website. - Care providers.
The right to receive information about the individual(s) responsible for, as well as those providing his or her care, treatment, and services. - Participate in decisions regarding care.
The right, in collaboration with his or her doctor, to make decisions involving his or her health care, including inpatient or outpatient treatment/care plan, discharge planning, and pain management plan; The right to request treatments or procedures (unless it is not medically necessary or inappropriate) - Informed consent.
The right to a detailed explanation of recommended procedures, medications or treatments, including risks, benefits, and reasonable alternatives; the right to refuse treatment, medication(s), or procedure(s) to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal; the right to agree or object to the recording or filming of a procedure or treatment for purposes other than his or her care. - Medical decision-maker.
In the event of incapacitation or the patient is a minor, the exercise of rights delineated on behalf of the patient through the patient’s guardian, legally authorized representative, or surrogate decision-maker - Charges.
The right to the examination and explanation of all charges for your care - Notice of physician–owners.
The right to be informed that the hospital is physician-owned to assist the patient to make an informed decision about his or her care - Research and clinical trials.
The right to be informed of any human experimentation or research affecting the patient’s care; if a participant, the right to protection and respect of patient’s rights during research, investigation, or clinical trials - Service animals.
The right to use a service animal that is trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.
Your Responsibilities as a Patient
- Follow rules and regulations.
Patients have a responsibility to abide by the rules and regulations of Nacogdoches Medical Center, including the observation of our non-smoking policy - Show respect and consideration.
Patients have a responsibility to be considerate of the Nacogdoches Medical Center facility and personnel, hospital property and the property of others, and for being considerate of other patients by helping to control the number of visitors in your room and the noise level. - Provide information.
Patients have the responsibility, to the fullest extent possible; to completely and accurately provide your health care provider with all the information that may affect the care you receive, including your Advance Directives documents. Please do not overlook reporting perceived risks that may affect your care and unexpected changes in your condition - Comply with your treatment plan and follow instructions.
Patients are responsible for following the treatment plan provided by your caregivers and with instructions for care. Please ask for an explanation if you do not clearly understand a proposed course of action and what is expected of you. If the treatment plan or instructions are not followed, the patient is responsible for the consequences and the clinical outcome of services. - Meet financial commitments.
Patients are responsible for providing Nacogdoches Medical Center the information needed to file your insurance claim, and promptly meeting any financial obligations agreed to with Nacogdoches Medical Center.
Concerns
If you’d like to express a concern or complaint about your care or safety please speak to a department director, an administrator or the hospital compliance officer, preferably before you are discharged. Dial the hospital operator for assistance. If the hospital is unable to provide resolution that you consider satisfactory, you may contact:
The Joint Commission, Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
Texas Department of State Health Services
Health Facility Licensing and Compliance Division
1100 West 49th St.
Austin, Texas 78756-3199
Complaint Hotline: 1 (888) 973-0022