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Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Your Rights

  1. Non-discriminatory treatment and visitation rights regardless of age, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, mental or physical disability, ability to pay, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.
  2. The right to make informed decisions regarding the plan of care, including the right to consent or refuse certain medical/surgical treatment within the limits of state law.
  3. The right to participate in the development and implementation of the plan of care.
  4. The right to request a discharge plan for continuing care needs.
  5. The right to receive complete and current information about the patient’s health status (including diagnosis and prognosis if known), treatment plan, and any outcomes of treatment.
  6. The right to know the identity and professional status of all individuals involved in the plan of care.
  7. The right to be informed that Children’s Hospital is a teaching institution and has authorized other healthcare and/or educational institutions to participate in your treatment. This includes the presence of medical students, physician residents, and fellows as well as other allied health students. You also have the right to know the identity and function of these individuals and that you may refuse to allow their participation in your treatment.
  8. The right to have a family member, chosen representative and/or your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
  9. The right to effective communication, including the services of an interpreter or translator if needed.
  10. The right to respect and dignity from all members of the hospital staff in all interactions.
  11. The right to personal privacy, including the right to consent for recording or filming made for purposes other than treatment.
  12. The right to receive care in a safe setting free from abuse, neglect, harassment, exploitation, and corporal punishment.
  13. The right to be free from restraints and seclusion of any form used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.
  14. The right to be informed of the hospital’s visitation policies including any limitations and restrictions to visitation and the rationale for these limitations and restrictions.
  15. The right to have a family member, friend or other individual to be present for emotional support during your stay, and the right to withdraw or deny consent to visitors when requested.
  16. The right to have access to religious counsel of your choice, and respect for personal, cultural, and spiritual beliefs.
  17. Except in emergencies, the right to be transferred to an accepting facility after receiving a full explanation of the reason for transfer and provisions for continuing care.
  18. The right to formulate advance directives upon request and to have hospital personnel and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with those directives. If you would like to speak to someone about an advance directive, please contact Social Services at 504.896.9367 or Inhouse at extension 84367 during normal working hours or the house supervisor 504.547.7678 after normal working hours.
  19. The right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
  20. The right to the confidentiality of your clinical records, including the right to access information.
  21. The right to participate in experimental research upon your informed consent.
  22. The right to receive an explanation of your hospital bill regardless of the source of payment and to receive information relating to financial assistance upon request.
  23. The right to access protective and advocacy services.
  24. The right to voice complaints/concerns related to your care and the right to information regarding the hospital’s policy and procedures related to the complaint/grievance process.
  25. The right to participate in ethical questions that arise in the course of treatment.

Your responsibilities

  1. To provide a complete and accurate medical history.
  2. To be available to discuss your care, and to participate in planning and in making important decisions regarding the care.
  3. To accept the consequences arising from your decisions regarding care.
  4. To provide contact information when you are not present at the hospital.
  5. To ask questions concerning your care and to acknowledge when you do not understand the treatment plan.
  6. To follow all hospital rules and regulations affecting care, conduct, and safety including:

    - Respect for hospital property as well as other patients’ property
    - Maintain a safe, quiet environment
    - Obey the hospital’s visitation policies
    - Children’s Hospital is a tobacco-free campus; visitors may only smoke in designated area.
    - Be considerate of other patients’ rights
  7. Provide for your own transportation to and from the hospital and for your own meals.
  8. Interact with all hospital staff and personnel with respect and dignity.
  9. Provide appropriate financial information and work

Access to the ethics committee

The Ethics Committee is an advisory committee which serves as a resource to deal with ethical questions related to health care and/or inter-professional relationships. All members of the hospital community including the patient and his/her family have access to the committee. To access the committee, call Social Services at 504.896.2900.

Patient complaints and grievances:

Children’s Hospital is committed to providing quality health care. Patients may communicate complaints to hospital representatives by verbally addressing the department director/manager where the problem occurred. If your complaint was not resolved to your satisfaction, you may contact the Administrator on Call at 504.547.7678 or in writing to 200 Henry Clay Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118. If your verbal patient care complaint cannot be resolved at the time of the compliant, is postponed for later resolution, requires investigation, and/or requires further action for resolution, then the complaint will be elevated to a grievance. You will receive a written response from our organization regarding the investigation and follow-up of the grievance within 7 working days of the filing of the grievance. Presenting a complaint will not adversely affect your care. At any time you may also contact the following agencies:

Department of Health and Hospitals

P.O. Box 3767
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Phone: 225.342.0138

Joint Commission on Accreditation

One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Phone: 800.994.6610 | Fax 630.792.5636
E-mail: patientsafetyreport@jointcommission.org

This information is available in Spanish upon request. Solicite la versión en español de esta información.

Updated March 2016