Patient Rights

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George C. Grape Community Hospital's CAH (Critical Access Hospital) Advisory Committee, Medical Staff and Board of Directors have adopted the following statement of patient rights. This list shall include, but not be limited to, the patient's right to:

• Become informed of his or her rights as a patient in advance of, or when discontinuing, the provision of care. The patient may appoint a representative to receive this information should he or she so desire.
• Exercise these rights without regard to sex or cultural, economic, educational or religious background or the source of payment for care.
• Considerate and respectful care, provided in a safe environment, free from all forms of abuse, neglect, harassment and/or exploitation.
• Have his or her cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected. To assure these preferences are identified and communicated to staff, a discussion of these issues will be included during the initial nursing admission assessment.
• Access protective and advocacy services or have these services accessed on the patient's behalf.
• Be informed of visitation rights, including any clinical restriction or limitation on such rights, when the patient is informed of his or her rights under this section.
• Be informed of the right, subject to the patient's consent, to receive the visitors whom the patient designates, including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend, and the patient's right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time.
• Ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences, regardless of their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
• Remain free from seclusion or restraints of any form that are not medically necessary or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.
• Knowledge of the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating his/her care and the names of professional relationships of other physicians and healthcare providers who will see him/her.
• Receive information from his/her physician about his/her illness, course of treatment, outcomes of care (including unanticipated outcomes), and his/her prospects for recovery in terms that he/she can understand.
• Receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as he/she may need in order to give informed consent or to refuse the course of treatment. Except in emergencies, this information shall include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved in the treatment, alternate courses of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each and the name of the person who will carry out the procedure or treatment.
• Participate in the development and implementation of his or her plan of care and actively participate in decisions regarding his/her medical care. To the extent permitted by law, this includes the right to request and/or refuse treatment.
• Formulate advance directives regarding his or her healthcare, and to have hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with these directives (to the extent provided by state laws and regulations).
• Have a family member or representative of his or her choice notified promptly of his or her admission to the hospital.
• Have his or her personal physician notified promptly of his or her admission to the hospital.
• Full consideration of privacy concerning his/her medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. The patient has the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual involved in his or her healthcare.
• Confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to his/her care and his/her stay in the hospital. His/her written permission will be obtained before his/her medical records can be made available to anyone not directly concerned with his/her care.
• Receive information in a manner that he/she understands. Communications with the patient will be effective and provided in a manner that facilitates understanding by the patient. Written information provided will be appropriate to the age, understanding and, as appropriate, the language of the patient. As appropriate, communications specific to the vision, speech, hearing cognitive and language-impaired patient will be appropriate to the impairment.
• Access information contained in his or her medical record within a reasonable time frame (usually within 48 hours of the request).
• Reasonable responses to any reasonable request he/she may make for service.
• Request transfer of your care to another physician or facility.
• Leave the hospital even against the advice of his/her physician.
• Reasonable continuity of care.
• Be advised of the hospital grievance process, should he or she wish to communicate a concern regarding the quality of the care he or she receives or if he or she feels the determined discharge date is premature. Notification of the grievance process includes: whom to contact to file a grievance, and that he or she will be provided with a written notice of the grievance determination that contains the name of the hospital contact person, the steps taken on his or her behalf to investigate the grievance, the results of the grievance and the grievance completion date.
• Be informed by his/her physician or a delegate of his/her physician of the continuing healthcare requirements following his/her discharge from the hospital.
• Examine and receive an explanation of his/her bill regardless of source of payment.
• Know which hospital rules and policies apply to his/her conduct while a patient.
• Have all patient's rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on behalf of the patient.

All hospital personnel, medical staff members and contracted agency personnel performing patient care activities shall observe these patients' rights.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The care a patient receives depends partially on the patient themselves. Therefore, in addition to these rights, a patient has certain responsibilities as well. These responsibilities should be presented to the patient in the spirit of mutual trust and respect:

• The patient has the responsibility to provide accurate and complete information concerning his/her present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to his/her health.
• The patient is responsible for reporting perceived risks in his or her care and unexpected changes in his/her condition to the responsible practitioner.
• The patient and family are responsible for asking questions about the patient's condition, treatments, procedures, Clinical Laboratory and other diagnostic test results.
• The patient and family are responsible for asking questions when they do not understand what they have been told about the patient's care or what they are expected to do.
• The patient and family are responsible for immediately reporting any concerns or errors they may observe.
• The patient is responsible for following the treatment plan established by his/her physician, including the instructions of nurses and other health professionals as they carry out the physician's orders.
• The patient is responsible for keeping appointments and for notifying the hospital or physician when he/she is unable to do so.
• The patient is responsible for his/her actions should he/she refuse treatment or not follow his/her physician's orders.
• The patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his/her hospital care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
• The patient is responsible for following hospital policies and procedures.
• The patient is responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients of hospital personnel.
• The patient is responsible for being respectful of his/her personal property and that of other persons in the hospital.

Regarding problem resolution, you have the right to express concerns or grievances regarding your care to the hospital staff.

It is the responsibility of all George C. Grape Community Hospital staff to listen to patient concerns or the concerns voiced by family members or visitors. The staff is responsible for initiating a response procedure. Patients who express a concern or complaint, or file a grievance, will not have their future access to care compromised in any way. To share a concern or complaint, please contact any staff member.

A staff member or patient representative will speak with you about your concern, provide you with, and help you complete a "Patient Grievance Form", if you desire.

If the problem has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you may file a formal written grievance with the George C. Grape Community Hospital Administrative Council. Should you wish to speak directly with Hospital Administration, you may contact them in person or by phone.

Administration	(712) 382-1515, ext. 8801
Director of Patient Care	(712) 382-1515, ext. 8001
Director of Social Services	(712) 382-1515, ext. 8601

If you have a further concern about the quality of your care, you may contact the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals in Des Moines at (877) 686-0027.