Rights & Responsibilities

You Have the Right to the Best Care

Respecting your health requires a team effort between you, your doctor and hospital staff. It is very important that every member of this team understands certain basic obligations we have to one another. Please refer to the Patient Rights and Responsibilities handout given to you at admission or review a synopsis of those rights below.

Patient Rights

To be aware of your rights in advance of continuing or discontinuing care.
To be informed of your health status.
To be provided reasonable access to care and treatment, regardless of race, age, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or ability to pay.
To have considerate and respectful care.
To have security, personal privacy and confidentiality of both verbal and written treatment results, diagnosis and prognosis.
To know patient safety is a high priority.
To be free from inappropriate use of all restraints and seclusion.
To have care delivered in a safe environment free from neglect, exploitation or any type of abuse, including verbal, mental, physical or sexual abuse, and corporal punishment. Should this right be violated, the hospital will notify the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Adult Protective Services within five working days.
To know the identity and professional status of people rendering services.
To have access to medical record information within the limits of the law.
To have informed participation in decisions regarding your care, including discharge planning.
To participate in the consideration of ethical issues that rise in the provision of your care.
To possess or be able to formulate advance directives.
To have an interpreter or assistance when language barriers are a problem.
To refer grievances or complaints to the Patient Relations office for prompt resolution.
To have pastoral or spiritual support as needed.
To have an itemized explanation of your bill for services rendered.
To request or refuse treatment, and be informed of hospital policies and practices that affect you and your treatment.
To be informed of any research or human experimentation involving your care, including the expected benefits, risks and alternative services, and the right to refuse participation.
When the patient is a newborn, child or adolescent, the guardian and/or family of the patient has the right to information regarding patient rights and responsibilities.
To provide you and/or your family with appropriate education (knowledge and skills) needed to meet your ongoing healthcare needs.
To have access to protective services when needed. Please ask your doctor or nurse for information or assistance.
To be informed about your treatment or outcomes.
To have a family member or representative and your physician notified upon your admission to the hospital.
To be free from and educated about both physical restraints and drugs used as a restraint.
To be provided pain control strategies.
To be informed of your visitation rights to authorize or deny visitation to a specific set of visitors at any time during your patient stay.
If you are a Medicare beneficiary and disagree with a coverage decision or feel you have been discharged too soon, you have a right to appeal by notifying your Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). Refer to the Important Message from the Medicare letter you received at admission.
You and/or family is encouraged to report concerns related to care, treatment, services and safety to the Patient Relations office at ext. 16184 from your room or 731.541.6184 outside the hospital.
If you are not satisfied with the resolution of a concern regarding quality of care or have concerns of discrimination in emergency situations, you have the right to call Tennessee Department of Health: For quality concerns, call 877.287.0010; for discrimination concerns within emergency situations, call 731.423.6600. For other discrimination complaints, you have the right to contact the Tennessee Office of Minority Health at 615.741.9421.
To report concerns to The Joint Commission regarding patient safety and quality of care, go to www.jointcommission.org to submit an electronic complaint or mail:

Office of Quality and Patient Safety

The Joint Commission

One Renaissance Blvd.

Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 30181

Patient Responsibilities

To provide information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters related to your health.
To request additional information or clarification about your health status or treatment when you do not fully understand information or instructions.
To provide the hospital with a copy of your advance directive as soon as possible with each admission.
To respect the rules and regulations of the hospital, and the rights of other patients and hospital personnel.
To follow instructions of those rendering service. Accept responsibility for actions if treatment is not followed or is refused.
To provide information about insurance and work with the hospital in making timely financial arrangements.
To keep track of any personal belongings that are brought to the hospital with you, e.g., eyeglasses, clothing, dentures, hearing aids, etc.
To allow us the opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns regarding service and care.
To discuss your pain and pain relief with hospital staff and doctors.

Concerns?
If you have concerns about the care you or your loved one is receiving, please speak with your doctor or nursing supervisor. If you feel that your issue isn’t resolved, contact Patient Relations at 731.541.6184.

Compliments?

At West Tennessee Healthcare, our staff

works hard to ensure patients and families have the best experience possible. If a staff member or physician has gone above and beyond to care for you, we would love to hear about it. Please call the Patient Experience Office at 731.541.4985 anytime to tell us your story.

Questions?

If you have questions about your patient rights and responsibilities, contact Customer Excellence at 731.541.6153.

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