Patient Rights and Responsibilities for the Swing Bed Patient

PATIENT RIGHTS

The patient has a right to a dignified existence, self-determination, and communication with and access to persons and services inside and outside the facility. This facility will protect and promote the rights of each patient including each of the following rights:

1. The right to exercise his or her rights as a patient of the facility and as a citizen or resident of the United States.
2. The right to be free of interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal from the facility in exercising his or her rights.
3. The right upon an oral or written request to access all records pertaining to himself or herself including current clinical records within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). After receipt of his or her records for inspection, the patient will be able to purchase at a cost not to exceed the community standard photocopies of the records or any portions of them upon request and 2 working days advance notice to the facility.
4. The right to be fully informed in language that he or she can understand of his or her total health status, including but not limited to, his or her medical condition.
5. The right to refuse treatment, to refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
6. The right to be informed who is entitled to Medicaid benefits, in writing, at the time of admission to the nursing facility or when the patient becomes eligible for Medicaid, of the items and services that are included in nursing facility services under the State plan and for which the patient may not be charged, those other items and service the facility offers and for which the patient may be charged, and the amount of charges for those services, and inform each patient when changes are made to the items and services.
7. The right to inform each patient before, or at the time of admission, and periodically during the patient’s stay, of services available in the facility, and of charges for those services including any charges for services not covered under Medicare or by the facility’s per diem rate.
8. The right to choose a personal attending physician, and be fully informed in advance about care and treatment and of any changes in that care or treatment that may affect the patient’s well-being, and unless adjudged incompetent or otherwise found to be incapacitated under the laws of the State, participate in planning care and treatment or changes in care and treatment.
9. The right to personal privacy and confidentiality of his or her personal and clinical records. Personal privacy includes accommodations, medical treatment, written and telephone communications, personal care, visits and meetings of family and patient groups. This does not require the facility to provide a private room for each patient. The patient may approve or refuse the release of personal and clinical records to any individual outside the facility. The patient’s right to refuse release of personal and clinical records does not apply when the patient is transferred to another health care institution or record release is required by law.
10. The right to refuse to perform services for the facility or the right to perform services for the facility if he or she chooses when:
    1. The facility has documented the need or desire for work in the plan of care;
    2. The plan specifies the nature of the services performed and whether the services are voluntary or paid;
    3. Compensation for paid services is at or above prevailing rates, and
    4. The patient agrees to the work arrangement described in the plan of care.
11. The right to privacy in written communications including the right to send and promptly receive mail that is unopened, and have access to stationery, postage and writing implements at the patient’s own expense.
12. The right, and this facility will provide,to visitation access to any patient by the following:
    1. Subject to the patient’s right to deny or withdraw consent at any time, immediate family or other relatives of the patient, including, but not limited to, a spouse, support person, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend;
    2. Subject to reasonable restrictions and the patient’s right to deny or withdraw consent at any time others who are visiting with the consent of the patient.
13. The right to retain and use personal possessions including some furnishings and appropriate clothing, as space permits, unless to do so would infringe upon the rights or health and safety of other patients.
14. The right to share a room with his or her spouse when married patients live in the same facility and both spouses consent to the arrangements.
15. The right to remain in the facility, and not transfer or discharge the patient from the facility unless:
16. The transfer or discharge is necessary for the patient’s welfare and the patient’s needs cannot be met in the facility;
    1. The transfer or discharge is appropriate because the patient’s health has improved sufficiently so the patient no longer needs the services provided by the facility;
    2. The safety of individuals in the facility is endangered;
    3. The health of individuals in the facility would otherwise be endangered;
    4. The patient has failed, after reasonable and appropriate notice, to pay for (or to have paid under Medicare or Medicaid) a stay at the facility. For a patient who becomes eligible for Medicaid after admission to a facility, the facility may charge a patient only allowable charges under Medicaid;
    5. The facility ceases to operate.
17. The right to be free from any chemical or physical restraints imposed for purpose of discipline or convenience, and not required to treat the patient’s medical symptoms.
18. The right to be free from verbal, sexual, physical and mental abuse, corporal punishment, and involuntary seclusion.
19. The right to an environment that promotes maintenance or enhancement of each patient’s quality of life.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The responsibility to provide truthful and complete information regarding present health problems, past illnesses and hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to his or her health.
2. The responsibility to participate in the paln of care and cooperate with the physician and other caregivers.
3. The responsibility for consequences if treatment is refused or if the practitioner’s instructions are not followed.
4. The responsibility to make it known if education, instructions or communications are not understood.
5. The responsibility for being considerate of the rights of other patients and facility personnel by assisting in the control of noise and by observing the ACMH noNsmoking policies.
6. The responsibility for being respectful of the property of other people and of the facility.
7. The responsibility to inform the hospital and physician of advanced directives formulated and provide a copy of the same.
8. The responsibility for assuring the financial obligations for the care provided is fulfilled as promptly as possible.
9. The responsibility to cooperate and give your permission for examinations, tests, nursing care and treatment once the purpose, risks and benefits have been understood.
10. The responsibility to notify the caregivers of any dissatisfaction regarding your care.SB Rights and Responsibilities