PATIENT BILL OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In keeping with its goal to provide quality care, The Surgery Center at Cranberry shall promote the interests, satisfaction and well being of its patients by affirming the following patient rights:

1. A patient has the right to considerate, respectful care at all times and under all circumstances given by competent personnel with recognition of personal dignity.

2. The patient has the right to good quality care and high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.

3. A patient has the right, upon request, to be given the name of his attending practitioner, the names of all other practitioners directly participating in his care and the names and functions of other health care persons having direct contact with the patient.

4. A patient has the right to consideration of privacy concerning his own medical care program.  Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are considered confidential and shall be conducted discreetly.  A patient has the right to expect that individuals not directly involved in his care will not be present without his permission. 

5. A patient has the right to have all records pertaining to his medical care, including source of payment, treated as confidential except as otherwise provided by law or third-party contractual arrangements.

6. A patient has the right to know what Center rules and regulations apply to his conduct as a patient.  Patients are entitled to information about the Center’s mechanism for the initiation, review and resolution of patient complaints and can receive this information by calling the Facility Administrator at 724.772.1766.

7. The patient has the right to expect that emergency procedures will be implemented without unnecessary delay.

8. The patient has the right to full information, in layman’s terms, concerning his diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, including information about alternative treatments and possible complications.  When it is not medically advisable to give the information to the patient, the information shall be given on his behalf to the patient’s next of kin or other appropriate, responsible person.

9. Except for emergencies, the practitioner must obtain the necessary informed consent of the patient prior to the start of any procedure or treatment.  When the patient is unable to be informed of his rights and responsibilities or to give informed consent, as in the case of a child, adolescent, or legally incompetent individual, the parent, guardian and/or legally authorized representative will be so informed and will be responsible to exercise these rights and responsibilities on the patient’s behalf.

10. A patient has the right to be advised when a practitioner is considering the patient as a part of a medical care research program or donor program.  The patient, or legally responsible party, must give informed consent prior to actual participation in such a program.  A patient, or legally responsible party, may at any time refuse to continue in any such program to which he has previously given informed consent.

11. A patient has the right to refuse any drugs, treatment or procedure, to the extent permitted by statute, and a practitioner shall inform the patient of the medical consequences of the patient’s refusal.

12. A patient has the right to medical and nursing services without discrimination based upon age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, disability or source of payment.

13. A patient has the right to interpreter services when possible.

14. The Center shall provide the patient, or patient designee, upon request, access to the information contained in his medical record, unless access is specifically restricted by the attending practitioner for medical reasons or is prohibited by law.

15. The patient has the right to expect the employment of good systems and implementation of management techniques at the Center promoting the effective use of the time of the patient and to avoid the personal discomfort of the patient.

16. A patient has the right to express his pain, have the pain assessed systemically and thoroughly, have the pain managed according to the most currently accepted treatment plan, receive prompt response to unrelieved pain and be informed and involved in all pain management decisions.

17. A patient has the right to express his spiritual beliefs and cultural practices provided that they do not harm others or interfere with the planned course of medical therapy for the patient.

18. A patient has the right to expect reasonable safety insofar as the Center practices and environment are concerned with full disclosure.   Center also welcomes a patient’s input for improvement. 

19. When an emergency occurs and a patient is transferred to another facility, the responsible person shall be notified.  The institution to which the patient is to be transferred shall be notified prior to the patient’s transfer.

20. Regardless of the source of payment, the patient has the right to examine and received a detailed explanation of his total bill for services rendered at the Center.

21. A patient has the right to expect that the Center will provide information for continuing health care requirements following discharge and the means for meeting them.

22. A patient has the right to be informed of his rights at the practitioner’s office prior to surgery or upon admission to the Center.

It is the patient’s responsibility to fully participate in decisions involving his own health care. The following principles represent the patient’s responsibilities:

• The Center expects that the patient or his family will provide information about complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to health history in order to effectively treat the patient.

•  The Center expects a patient to cooperate with all Center personnel by following their instructions and by reporting unexpected changes.

•  The Center expects a patient to acknowledge when a contemplated treatment course or care decision is not understood or varies from what the patient was informed to expect, and to ask questions and voice concerns.

•  The Center expects duly authorized members of a patient’s family to be available to Center personnel for review of treatment in the event the patient is unable to properly communicate with the practitioner or nurses.

•  The Center expects a patient to be considerate of other patients and Center personnel, to be respectful of the property of the Center and to follow Center rules and regulations affecting patient care and comfort.

•  The Center expects a patient to be responsible for his own actions if he refuses treatment, does not follow instructions or complicates or endangers the healing process.

•  The Center expects a patient to assume financial responsibility of paying for all services rendered either through third-party payers (insurance) or being personally responsible for payment for any services that are not covered.  

We encourage you to be an informed consumer of health care services. If you have any questions concerning your care, please do not hesitate to ask our staff.

Pennsylvania Department of Health Hot Line: 1.800.254.5164.