Patient Rights + Responsibilities
As a patient, you have a right to:
1. Respectful and Safe Care: Receive considerate and respectful care in a safe setting.
2. Information About Care Coordination: Know the name of the physician responsible for coordinating your care.
3. Understandable Information: Obtain information from your physician in terms you can reasonably understand. This includes diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and significant alternatives for care or treatment. If it is not medically advisable to share specific information with you, it should be made available to an appropriate person on your behalf. When alternatives are part of your care plan, you have the right to know the names of the individuals responsible for procedures and treatments.
4. Informed Consent: Receive all necessary information from your physician to give informed consent before any procedure or treatment. This includes details about the procedure, probable duration of incapacitation, medically significant risks, and emergency care provisions.
5. Urgent Care and Transfers: Expect that the facility will provide evaluation, services, or referrals as needed for urgent situations. When a transfer to another facility is necessary, you or your designated support person(s) will receive complete information and explanation about the transfer, and the receiving facility must accept you before the transfer.
6. Refusal of Treatment: Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal.
7. Financial and Professional Transparency: Obtain information about any financial or professional relationships between the facility and other healthcare or educational institutions relevant to your care. Know about any professional relationships among those involved in your treatment.
8. Human Experimentation: Be advised if the facility proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting your care or treatment and have the right to refuse participation in research projects.
9. Privacy and Confidentiality: Expect high standards of privacy and be treated with dignity throughout your care, including confidential and discreet conduct during case discussions, consultations, examinations, and treatments. Those not directly involved in your care must have your permission to be present, and all communications and records pertaining to your care will be treated as confidential. To have security, spiritual care, and not restricted from communication with others.
10. Continuity of Care: Expect reasonable continuity of care, including knowing in advance about appointment times and available physicians, access to information regarding continuing healthcare needs after discharge, and contact information for questions or emergency care.
11. Examination of Bills: Access and examine an explanation of your bill, regardless of the source of payment.
12. Facility Rules and Regulations: Know what facility rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient and guest during all phases of treatment.
13. Freedom from Abuse: Be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, or harassment and have access to protective services.
14. Exercise of Rights: Exercise your rights without being subjected to discrimination or retaliation. To be provided with a written statement of your rights.
15. Involvement in Care: Be involved in all aspects of your care, including making decisions about treatment, refusing care, and resolving care decisions. Family input in care decisions is allowed in compliance with legal directives or court orders. If communication restrictions are necessary for your care and safety, the facility must document and explain the restrictions to you and your family.
16. Unanticipated Outcomes: Be informed of any unanticipated outcomes related to your care.
17. Grievances and Complaints: Complain about care or treatment received without fear of retribution or denial of care. You have the right to file a grievance with the facility by contacting the Administrator, via telephone or in writing, and expect a timely resolution.
Patient Responsibilities:
It is the patient’s responsibility to participate fully in decisions involving his or her own heath care and to accept the consequences of these decisions if complications occur.
It is the patient’s responsibility to follow up on his or her physician’s instructions, take medications when prescribed, and ask questions that emerge concerning his or her own health care.
It is the patient’s responsibility to provide the name of a support person in case of emergency, and have this support person available when advised to do so.
Direct any care concerns or complaints to Northwest Surgery Center Administrator:
Erica Bustamante
Northwest Surgery Center
1110 North 35th Avenue
Yakima, Washington 98902
Phone: 509 - 834 - 7050