PATIENT
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
RFGH is committed:
• To protect and promote each patient’s
rights and to provide a mechanism of informing
patients or patient’s representative of
their rights and responsibilities.
• To respect religious, ethnic and cultural
diversity of patients and to recognize that each
patient has individualized needs.
Definition: Patient means patient
or patient representative as allowed under State
Law. When the patient does not have the mental
or physical capacity to make care decisions, or
when the patient is a child, an individual other
than (or in addition to) the patient needs to
be involved in decisions regarding their care,
a surrogate decision maker is identified. In the
case of an unemancipated minor, the family or
guardian is legally responsible for approving
the care prescribed.
PATIENT RIGHTS
Notice of Rights
Patients have the right:
• To be informed of their rights in advance
of furnishing or discontinuing patient care,
whenever possible.
• Each Medicare beneficiary has the right
to be provided a notice of beneficiary rights
to received covered services, to be involved
in decisions about hospital stay, to report
concerns about quality of care to the Quality
Improvement Organization and has the right to
appeal premature discharge.
• When patients who are deaf, blind or
do not speak or understand the predominant language
of the community present, they shall have access
to an interpreter and/or resources for alternative
communication techniques or assistive devices.
• To prompt resolution of grievances (complaint)
and to be informed about whom to contact to
file a written or verbal grievance. When the
patient has a problem with hospital stay, the
caregiver, department manager or nurse supervisor
can be contacted to initiate the process.
Exercise of Rights
Patients have the right:
• To participate in the development and
implementation of their plan of care for inpatient
treatment/care, outpatient treatment/care, and
revisions to either, pain management plan and
discharge plan.
• To make informed decisions regarding
their care.
• To obtain, from the practitioner responsible
for coordinating their care, complete and current
information concerning their health status and
diagnosis, to the degree known, treatment, and
any known prognosis. This information shall
be communicated in terms that patients can reasonably
be expected to understand. When it is not medically
advisable to give such information to patients,
the information should be made available to
a legally authorized individual.
• To request or refuse treatment. This
right must not be construed as a mechanism to
demand the provision of treatment or services
deemed medically unnecessary or inappropriate.
• To be informed by the practitioner responsible
for their care, or their delegate, of any continuing
health care requirements following discharge
from the hospital.
• To formulate Advance Directives and
to have the hospital staff and practitioners
implement and comply with these directives.
• To have their family, friends, and representative
of their choice or physician notified promptly
of their admission to the hospital.
• To exclude any or all family members
from participating in their care decisions.
• In advance of furnishing patient care
whenever possible, inform each patient (or support
person, where appropriate) of the right, subject
to his or her consent, to receive visitors,
and the right to withdraw or deny such consent
at any time. Visitation will not be restricted,
limited, or otherwise denied based on race,
color, national origin, religion, sex, gender
identity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Although it is impossible to delineate or anticipate
every clinical reason that could warrant restrictions
or limitations, Visitation may be limited or
restricted if clinically necessary when the
patient is undergoing care interventions; when
there may be infection control issues; and when
visitation may interfere with the care of other
patients.
• To refuse to talk with or see anyone
not officially connected with the hospital,
including visitors or persons officially connected
with the hospital but not directly involved
in care.
• Of access to people outside of the hospital
by means of visitors, and by verbal and written
communication. Patients have the right to designate
who may visit.
• Patients shall be accorded impartial
access to treatment or accommodations that are
available or medically indicated, regardless
of race, creed, sex, national origin or sources
of payment for care.
• Patients asked to participate in research/educational
projects affecting their care or treatment are
given information about projects and the patient
has the right to refuse to participate in any
such activity.
• Patients or the patient’s legal
representative shall be informed if the hospital
proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation
or other research/educational projects affecting
their care or treatment.
• The patient shall be informed of the
expected benefits; potential discomforts and
risks; alternative services that might also
prove advantageous; and an explanation of the
procedure to be followed, especially those that
are experimental in nature. The patients have
the right to refuse or participate in any such
activity.
• To wear appropriate personal clothing
and religious or other symbolic items, as long
as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures
or treatment.
Privacy and Safety
Patients have the right:
• To personal privacy, respect, dignity
and comfort. Personal privacy will be ensured
during personal hygiene, treatments and when
requested as appropriate.
• This includes the right to have a person
of one’s own sex present during certain
parts of a physical 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 purpose for which the patient was asked
to disrobe.
• To receive care in a safe setting and
an environment that a reasonable person would
consider safe to include emotional and physical
safety. Vulnerable populations such as children
will be protected.
• To be free from all forms of abuse,
neglect or harassment.
Confidentiality of Records
Patients have the right:
• To confidentiality of clinical records.
Information is limited only to those people
designated by laws, regulation and policy.
• To access information contained in their
clinical records within a reasonable timeframe
and amend it if needed.
Restraints
Patients have the right:
• To be free from physical or mental abuse
and corporal punishment.
• To be free from restraints (physical
or chemical) or seclusion imposed as a means
of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation.
Restraint or seclusion may only be imposed to
ensure the immediate physical safety of the
patient, staff or others.
Identity
Patients have the right:
• To know the identity and professional
status of individuals providing services and
to know which physician or other practitioner
is primarily responsible for their care. This
includes patients’ right to know of the
existence of any professional relationship to
any other health care or educational institutions
involved in their care.
Consultation
Patients have the right:
• At their own request and expense, have
the right to consult with a specialist and RFGH
will facilitate that request.
• Patients may not be transferred to another
facility unless they have received a complete
explanation of
the need for the transfer and of the alternatives
to such a transfer and unless the transfer is
acceptable to
the other facility.
Hospital charges
Patients have the right:
• Regardless of the source of payment for
this care, patients have the right to request
and receive an itemized and detailed explanation
of their total bill for services rendered in the
hospital.
• To timely notice prior to termination
of eligibility for reimbursement by any third-party
payer for the cost of their care.
• Redington-Fairview General Hospital is
committed to providing safe, reliable care. RFGH
will not knowingly charge patients or their insurer
for treatment to correct a serious healthcare
mistake or preventable adverse event that occurs
according to Maine Law LD 2044.
(If a patient is not able
to exercise these rights, an appropriate representative
may exercise them on the patient’s behalf.)
CONCERNS
OR COMPLAINTS
RFGH wants to hear your concerns so we can resolve
them promptly. Any staff member will listen to
or receive your concern or complaint. You also
may ask to talk to the department head or supervisor.
The staff, department head or supervisor will
immediately address your grievance privately with
no discrimination. You may also send a written
complaint, comment or grievance to:
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Redington – Fairview General Hospital
Att: Support Services/Public Relations
P.O. Box 468, Skowhegan, Maine 04976
(207) 474 – 5121 ext. 319 |
Or, you may also contact
the Department of Human Services, State of
Maine, Division of Licensing at:
Division of Licensing and Certification
41 Anthony Avenue
11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-9300 or 1-800-791-4080 TDD: 1-800-606-0215
1-800-383-2441
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PATIENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Patient shall be informed of the hospital rules
and regulations applicable to their conduct as
patients.
PROVISION OF INFORMATION:
Patients are responsible:
• 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.
• For reporting unexpected changes in
their condition to the responsible practitioner.
• For reporting whether they clearly comprehend
a contemplated course of action and what is
expected of them.
COMPLIANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS:
Patients are responsible:
• For following the treatment plan recommended
by the practitioner primarily responsible for
their care. This may include following the instructions
of nurses and allied health personnel as they
carry out the coordinated plan of care and implement
the responsible practitioner’s orders,
and as they enforce the applicable hospital
rules and regulations.
• For keeping appointments and, when they
are unable to do for any reason, for notifying
the responsible practitioner or hospital.
REFUSAL OF TREATMENT:
Patients are responsible:
• For their actions if they refuse treatment
or do not follow the practitioner’s instructions.
HOSPITAL CHARGES:
Patients are responsible:
• For assuring that the financial obligations
of their health care are fulfilled as promptly
as possible and for notifying the hospital if
they believe they have been billed for care
of a serious, preventable event.
HOSPITAL RULES AND REGULATIONS:
Patients are responsible:
• For following hospital rules and regulations
affecting patient care and conduct.
RESPECT AND CONSIDERATION:
Patients are responsible:
• For being considerate of the rights
of other patients and hospital personnel and
for assisting in the control of noise, and the
number of visitors.
• For being respectful of the property
of other persons and of the hospital.
• To treat staff, medical staff and others
in a manner that is reasonable, collaborative
and respectful.
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