Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Purpose:

To assure patients receive accountable and safe healthcare and to inform patients of their rights and responsibilities in receiving surgical services from the Surgery Center of Reno (SCOR).

Policy:

The SCOR acknowledges the basic human rights of patients as well as the responsibilities patients have. The SCOR treats patients with respect, consideration, and dignity. The following patients’ Bill of Rights and Responsibilities serve as guidelines to ensure the patients’ rights are respected and to have patients participate in their responsibilities when receiving surgical services.

Procedure:

Upon initial admission, a copy of the patients’ rights and responsibilities is provided to each patient. If changes are made to the patients’ rights and responsibilities since the initial admission, the patient will be given the updated copy. On the subsequent visit, a copy of the patient’s rights and responsibilities is offered to the patient.

Patients’ Rights: The patients of Surgery Center of Reno have the right to
the following:
1. Receive the care necessary to help regain or maintain his or her maximum state of health.
2. Expect personnel who care for the patient to be friendly, considerate, respectful, and
  qualified through education and experience and perform the services for which they
  are responsible with the highest quality of service.
3. Expect full recognition of individuality, including privacy in treatment and care. In addition, all communications and records will be kept confidential.
4. Complete information, to the extent known by the physician, regarding diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, as well as alternative treatments or procedures and the possible risks and side effects associated with treatment.
5. Be fully informed of the scope of the services available at the facility including but not limited to; provisions for after-hours and emergency care, payment policies, fees for services rendered, the credentials of health care professionals, information regarding the absence of malpractice insurance coverage, or their right to change their provider if other providers are available.
6. Be a participant in decisions regarding the intensity and scope of treatment. If the patient is unable to participate in those decisions, the patient’s rights shall be exercised by the patient’s designated representative or other legally designated person.
7. Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and be informed of the medical consequences of such a refusal. The patient accepts responsibility for his or her actions should he or she refuse treatment or not follow the instructions of the physician or facility. Exercise his or her rights without being subject to discrimination or reprisal.
8. Approve or refuse the release of medical records to any individual outside the facility, except in the case of transfer to another health facility, or as required by law or third-party payment contract. Medical records are accessible.
9. Be informed of human experimentation or other research/educational projects affecting his or her care or treatment and can refuse participation in such experimentation or research without compromise to the patient’s usual care.
10. Express grievances/complaints and suggestions at any time. To file a complaint or grievance at any time, please notify:
11. Change primary or specialty physicians or dentists if other qualified physicians or dentists are available and to be informed if a physician does not have malpractice coverage. The Surgery Center of Reno requires that all physicians possess malpractice coverage. The patient has a right to request his/her surgeon’s credentials.
12. Have an advance directive, such as a living will or healthcare proxy. A patient who has an advance directive must provide a copy to the facility and his or her physician so that his or her wishes may be known and honored, upon transfer to a higher level of care from the Surgery Center of Reno. The Surgery Center of Reno does not honor advance directives pertaining to the termination of life support functions. In the event of a medical emergency, appropriate care will be provided including attempts to stabilize and/or resuscitate the patient. Transfer arrangements will be made to a local hospital and SCOR will forward the Advance Directive. (See Advanced Directive policy 1, F-8)
13. Be fully informed before any transfer to another facility or organization.
14. Express those spiritual beliefs and cultural practices that do not harm others or interfere with the planned course of medical therapy for the patient.
15. Not to be subjected to misleading marketing or advertising regarding the competence and capabilities of the Surgery Center of Reno.
16. Be free from any form of abuse or harassment.
17. Be fully informed about a treatment or procedure and the expected outcome before it is performed.
Patients’ Responsibilities: The patients of SCOR have the following responsibilities:

A. Being considerate of other patients and personnel and for assisting in the control of noise, smoking and other distractions, including respecting the property of others and the facility.

B. Informing the SCOR about any living will, medical power of attorney, or advance directive that could affect his/her care. The SCOR does not hone any of these health care directives.

C. Reporting whether he or she clearly understands the planned course of treatment and what is expected of him or her.

D. Keeping appointments and, when unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the facility and physician.

E. Providing caregivers with the most accurate and complete information regarding present complaints, past illnesses and hospitalization, all medications, including over the counter and dietary supplements, and unexpected changes in the patient’s condition or any other patient health matters, including allergies and sensitivities.

F. Observing prescribed rules of the facility during his or her stay and treatment an, if instructions are not followed, forfeiting the right to care at the facility and being responsible for the outcome.

G. Promptly fulfilling his or her financial obligations to the facility

H. Payment to the facility for copies of the medical records the patient may request, if applicable.

I. Identifying any patient safety concerns

J. Accepting personal financial responsibilities for charges not covered by insurance.

K. Provide a responsible adult to transport him/her home from the facility.

L. Plan to have a responsible adult stay with him or her for the first 24 hours after surgery.

Who Should Know This Policy

All Employees, Clinical Managers, Medical Director, Administrator

The following positions are responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this document:
Governing Board Administrator Medical Director Clinical Managers

REFERENCE: AAAHC Standards, Rights of Patients, Chapter 1, Section A-K

About Surgery Center of Reno

It’s covered by your insurance. Insurance companies welcome the lower surgical costs of ambulatory surgical centers (ASC's) like Surgery Center of Reno. Since ASC's are built with the most current technologies and efficient layout, we are able to provide quality services at a lower cost. We also work with many insurance companies successfully out of network.