Bill of Rights
As a patient at The Medical Center of Plano, you have the following rights:
- To have the hospital's reasonable response to your request and needs for treatment or service, within the hospital's capacity, its stated mission and applicable law and regulations.
- To impartial access to medically indicated treatment regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin or source of payment for care.
- To receive considerate and respectful care, provided in a safe, secure, non-threatening environment and to be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation or harassment.
- To have access to protective and advocacy services.
- To receive consideration of psychosocial, spiritual and cultural beliefs and values which influence the perception of illness.
- To receive effective management of pain as appropriate for the medical diagnosis or surgical procedure.
- To be free from seclusion or restraints, of any form, which are not medically necessary.
- To make decisions, in collaboration with your physician, involving your health, to include the right to accept medical care or to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and be informed of medical consequences of any such refusal.
- To formulate an Advance Directive (such as a Living Will or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care) and appoint someone to make health care choices on your behalf to the extent permitted by law. Health care institutions must advise patients of their rights under state law and hospital policy to make informed medical choices, ask if the patient has an Advance Directive, and include that information in the patient's records. It is not required to have an Advance Directive to receive care as a patient.
- To expect care that supports the comfort and dignity of the dying patient, including treatment of primary and secondary symptoms that respond to treatment (as desired by the patient or surrogate
decision maker), effectively managing pain, and acknowledging the psychosocial and spiritual concerns of the patient and family regarding death and the expression of grief. - To be given the information necessary to make treatment decisions that reflect your wishes in keeping with the hospital's policy on informed consent.
- To have a family member, a representative of your choice, or your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
- To receive at the time of admission, information about the hospital's Patient Rights policy and mechanism for the initiation, review and when possible, resolution of patient complaints concerning the quality of care.
- To be cared for by staff who have been educated about patient rights and his/her role in supporting these rights.
- To obtain information regarding your diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and plans for discharge and follow-up care in understandable terms.
- To receive interpreter services for hearing impairment, language interpretation or reading assistance in order to understand or actively participate in your care.
- To know the identities of the physician(s) responsible for the coordination of your care and others involved in your care.
- To obtain information regarding any professional relationships among individuals treating you as well as the relationship between the hospital and other healthcare and educational institutions which may influence your care.
- To obtain information about hospital policies that relate to your care.
- To participate in decisions regarding ethical issues surrounding your care including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitation, forgoing or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and participation in investigational studies or clinical trials. You may ask your nurse or physician to consult the Ethics Committee for resolution of conflicts in decision making regarding your care. You may request to see the hospital's code of conduct if desired.
- To request transfer to another facility, when medically permissible, after being informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives to transfer. The receiving institution must have accepted you for transfer.
- To consent or refuse to participate in any treatment that is considered experimental in nature and to have those studies fully explained before consent.
- To be given consideration of privacy in case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment.
- To expect that all communication and records pertaining to your care be treated as confidential, except in cases such as suspected abuse or public health hazards which are required by law to be reported.
- To have access to information contained in your medical records, within the limit of the law, for you and your legally designated representative and to have the information explained or interpreted as necessary.
- To provide for the patient's guardian, next of kin or legally authorized representative to exercise, to the extent permitted by law, the rights on behalf of the patient if the patient is incompetent, medically incapable, unable to communicate or is a minor.
- To examine and receive an explanation of your hospital bill, regardless of source of payment.
- To receive the message from Medicare outlining rights for the elderly at the time of admission, if you are 65 years of age or older.
- To express a concern or complaint concerning quality of care issues either verbally or in writing to the supervisor, department manager, nursing staff, medical staff, patient liaison, or administration. You have the right to a timely response to your concern or complaint and a resolution when possible. Expressing a concern or complaint will not affect your care or future access to care. You also have the right to report your concerns or complaint directly to the state regulatory agency or The Joint Commission.
| Texas Department of State Health Services 1100 West 49th Street Austin, TX 78756 (888) 973-0022 |
| The Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring One Renaissance Boulevard Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 (630) 792-5000 |
In addition to the above listed rights, children and their parents or guardians have the following rights:
- To make decisions about your child's care.
- To be in a supportive, secure, non-threatening environment that promotes growth and development.
- To have children and adolescents considered a unique individual separate from parents or guardians.
- To have parents or guardians stay with their child as much as possible.
- To be cared for by staff that is knowledgeable in the care of children and adolescents.
- To openly express your emotions about pain or discomfort.
As a patient you have the following responsibilities:
- To ask questions about specific problems and request information when you do not understand your illness or treatment.
- To provide accurate and complete medical information to physicians and other caregivers.
- To provide the hospital with a copy of your written Advance Directive if you have one.
- To follow the treatment plan recommended by physicians and other caregivers, or if treatment is refused, you are responsible for your actions and the medical consequences.
- To consider the rights of all hospital personnel and other patients and ensure that your visitors are considerate in the control of noise, limiting numbers of visitors, and abstaining from smoking.
- To respect hospital property and the property of other patients.
- To report perceived risks in your care.
- To follow all hospital policies affecting patient care and conduct.
- To provide the necessary information for processing of hospital bills and make payment arrangements when necessary. The patient, guardian or legally authorized representative will be responsible for the financial obligation of his/her health care.
- To participate in those educational and discharge planning activities to insure you have adequate knowledge and support services necessary to provide you with a safe environment upon discharge.