Deaconess Hospital, Inc. recognizes that each patient has special health care needs and has the right to high quality, respectful care within the Hospital’s capabilities and mission, and in compliance with law and regulation.  Each patient has rights and responsibilities to participate in decisions related to his or her health.  These rights and responsibilities also apply to a patient’s legally-designated representative (surrogate) and/or the parents/guardians of minors. For more information, learn about advance directives.

Patient Rights

It is your right as a patient:

	To receive effective, safe, high-quality medical care within the Hospital’s capability and mission and without regard to race, creed, religion, ability or disability, age, gender, ethnic or national origin, lifestyle, or ability to pay.
	To receive care that shows respect for your personal dignity and worth; and your individual cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs and preferences.
	To have appropriate privacy and confidentiality of personal and medical information.
	To have effective communication, including: interpretation, translation and assistance with vision, speech, hearing, language and cognitive impairments.
	To have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician promptly notified of your admission to the hospital.
	To have reasonable opportunities for visits and for communication by mail and telephone, including private conversations, unless you are informed of sound medical or institutional reasons for limited access.
	To have or be assisted in preparing an advance directive; to review or revise advance directives; to expect the existence or lack of an advance directive will not affect your access to care, treatment, and services; and, to expect that directive to be honored within the limits of the law and the Hospital’s capabilities.
	To expect that an appropriate surrogate decision-maker will be sought if you lack decision-making ability and have no advance directive.
	To be informed about your illness and treatment options including potential benefits, risks, alternatives, and costs; and to know the identity and professional status of your caregivers.
	To participate fully in decisions and in resolving dilemmas about your care, treatment, and services; to accept or refuse care, treatment, and services in accordance with law and regulation; and to be involved in the development and implementation of your plan of care.
	To have family or others, as appropriate and as allowed by law, with permission of the patient or surrogate decision maker, participate in your care, treatment and service decisions.
	To be treated for your medical condition, as determined by your physician, separate from any business or financial considerations or incentives that may be involved.
	To be informed of any proposed research or experimental treatment that may be considered; to be provided with adequate information to consent or refuse to participate; and to expect that refusal to participate or discontinuing participation will not compromise access to care, treatment, and services not related to research.
	To receive continuous, coordinated, and appropriate care during and after any hospitalization; and to be transferred, with your consent, to another facility when the hospital cannot meet your request or care needs.
	To be informed, along with family if appropriate, about the outcomes of care, treatment, and services that have been provided, including unanticipated outcomes.
	To receive care that promotes comfort and to have your pain/discomfort assessed and appropriately managed in accordance with the care, treatment, and services provided.
	To receive care free from any form of physical or pharmacological restraint, unless necessary for the safety of yourself or others, and as ordered by your physician, and you or your surrogate are informed of the necessity.
	To be protected, to the best of the Hospital’s ability, from real or perceived abuse, neglect, or exploitation from staff, students, volunteers, other patients, visitors or family members and to have access to protective and advocacy services when needed.
	To have access to pastoral care and spiritual services.
	To receive care in a safe and secure setting for yourself and your property.
	To have access to your medical records with a signed release and to request amendment or an accounting of disclosures, in accordance with state and federal regulations.
	To have your wishes honored concerning organ donation within the limits of the law or the Hospital’s capacity.
	To raise ethical issues concerning your treatment with your physician or other care provider and/or the Ethics Committee, and to participate in the resolution of those issues.
	To freely voice complaints and recommend changes without fear of coercion, discrimination, reprisal, or unreasonable interruption of care, treatment and services.
	To receive a prompt and courteous reply to any complaint or grievance concerning the quality of care or service by contacting your physician, nurse, or the Patient Relations Representative.
	To request and receive information regarding the charges for any treatment, and to receive an explanation of your bill and available payment methods.
	To be informed in writing of your rights and responsibilities as a patient.
	To be cared for by competent staff who know and support your rights.

Patient Responsibilities

It is your responsibility as a patient:

	To provide, to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete personal and family health information needed to provide you with appropriate care.
	To provide a copy of your advance directive upon admission, or to provide such information in a timely manner.
	To participate, to the best of your ability, in making decisions about your health care; and to ask questions of your physician or other care providers when you do not understand your care, treatment, and service or what you are expected to do.
	To follow the developed plan of care and instructions, to express any concerns about your ability to follow the plan of care; and to accept the outcomes should you choose not to follow the plan of care.
	To continue recommended treatment and to notify your physician of any change in your condition.
	To tell your physician or other caregiver if you want to transfer to another care provider or facility.
	To be considerate of others receiving and providing care and their property and to follow relevant policies and procedures.
	To assure that financial obligations are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

If you have a concern about your care or wish to discuss an ethical issue or file a grievance, inform one of your caregivers or the Patient Relations Representative at (812) 450-3430, or call the 24-hour Patient Assistance Line at (812) 450-7827 or TTY (812) 450-4900.  You may also address concerns to the Indiana State Department of Health, 2 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204-7373; (317) 233-1325 or TTY (317) 233-5577.