YOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PATIENT

Central Valley Medical Center and medical staff are committed to providing quality health care at a reasonable cost while maintaining the dignity and integrity of our patients; including infants, children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. The Patient Bill of Rights has been adopted to promote effective care, enhancing satisfaction for the patient, physician, and hospital and to provide the patient with the right to make rational choices regarding their healthcare decisions or their agents based upon vital information concerning their illness, proposed procedures, alternative methods of treatment and the risks and benefits of each.

These rights and others are supported by the following hospital policies: Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities, Informed Consents, Patient Access to Medical Records, Advanced Directives, Patient Complaints and Spiritual Care.

PATIENT RIGHTS

Patients have the right to:

  • Impartial access to treatment or accommodations without regard to race, creed, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or ability to pay.
  • Be treated with and receive care with dignity and respect.
  • Adequate information from your physicians and hospital staff, before consenting to any procedure or treatment, and to have significant alternatives explained to you.
  • Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed by their physician of the medical consequences of their decision.
  • Privacy and confidentiality concerning their medical health care program or treatment.
  • Examine and receive an explanation of your hospital bill, regardless of the source of payment, to the extent of the law.
  • Review and obtain a copy of their medical record subject to the hospital’s policies and procedures.
  • Be advised of the reason(s) for any delay in treatment.
  • Be given information about responsibilities as a patient.
  • Have concerns about the quality of care received discussed with the appropriate person.

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.

As a patient, it is requested they:

  • Provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate, complete, honest, and specific information about present complaints, previous illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, other matters relating to their health, identification, and insurance information to their physician and other health care providers.
  • Report any changes in their condition to their physician and other health care providers.
  • Follow the instructions and treatment plan of physicians and other health care providers who are involved in their care.
  • Inform those individuals in their care when they have any questions or do not clearly comprehend the course of action and/or instructions regarding your care.
  • Be respectful of the rights of other patients, staff, and property at this hospital.

The patient is responsible for their own actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow the physician’s advice.