House Staff Manual - Winthrop University Hospital

100. PATIENT RELATIONSStaff in the Patient Relations Department are available to answer questions about the Patient's Bill ofRights, Patient's Responsibilities and Advance Directives; and to interpret the Hospital's policies,procedures and services to the patient and family. This department provides a channel through whichpatients can seek solutions to problems, concerns and unmet needs.All patient complaints are investigated, responded to, and included as part of the hospital-wide QualityManagement Program.Referrals are welcome from all sources, including medical staff, nursing, allied health professionals,family, and patient. It is recommended that a referral to the Patient Relations Department (ext. 2058) bemade as soon as a potential problem is detected so that a prompt resolution may be achieved.101. PATIENTS’ BILL OF RIGHTSWinthrop-University Hospital subscribes to the Patients’ Bill of Rights as the cornerstone for delineatingthe rights and responsibilities of patients. Every patient, upon admission, receives written notice of theserights in the admission package. Printed material is available to patients in several different languages. Allconcerns regarding care provided should be directed to Patient Relations (see above) A patient's rightsinclude but are not limited to:Access to Care: Individuals shall be accorded impartial access to treatment or accommodations that areavailable or medically indicated, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, or sources of payment forcare.Respect and Dignity: The patient has the right to considerate, respectful care at all times and under allcircumstances, with recognition of personal dignity.Privacy and Confidentiality: The patient has the right, within the law, to personal and informational privacyas manifested by the following rights:1. To refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the Hospital, including visitors, orpersons officially connected with the Hospital but not directly involved in the patient's care.2. To wear appropriate personal clothing and religious or other symbolic items, as long as they do notinterfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment.3. To be interviewed and examined in surroundings designed to assure reasonable visual and auditoryprivacy. This includes the right to have a person of one's own sex present during certain parts of aphysical examination, treatment, or procedure performed by a health professional of the opposite sex,and the right not to remain disrobed any longer than is required for accomplishing the medical purposefor which the patient was asked to disrobe.4. To expect that any discussion or consultation involving the patient's case will be conducted discreetly,and that individuals not directly involved with the patient's care will not be present without thepatient's permission.5. To have the patient's medical record read only by individuals directly involved in the patient'streatment or in the monitoring of its quality. Other individuals can only read the patient's medicalrecord with written authorization or that of the patient's legally authorized representative.6. To expect all communications and other records pertaining the patient's care, including the source ofpayment for treatment, be treated as confidential.Rev. 1/08