Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Patient Rights

1. The patient has the right to be informed of one's rights in a language or   format s/he understands--prior to admission.

2. The patient (or his/her representative as allowed under NC law) has the right to make informed decisions regarding the patient's care. This includes being informed of one's health status, being involved in care planning and treatment, and being able to request or refuse treatment. This right does not mean one can demand the provision of treatment or services that are medically unnecessary or inappropriate.
3. The patient has the right to formulate advance directives and to have hospital staff and other medical staff who provide care in the hospital follow these directives. 
4. The patient has the right to have a family member (or representative of one's choice) and one's own physician notified promptly of admission to the hospital. The patient also has the right to have visitors s/he chooses. See "Visitation Rights" section in this brochure.
5. The patient has the right to personal privacy.
6. The patient has the right to receive care in a safe setting.
7. The patient has the right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
8. The patient has the right to be free from physical or chemical restraints that are not medically necessary or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.
9. The patient has the right to the confidentiality of his or her clinical records.
10. The patient has the right to access information contained in his or her clinical records within a reasonable time frame. The hospital must not frustrate the rightful efforts of individuals to gain access to their own medical records and must actively seek to meet these requests as quickly as its record keeping system permits.  The Patient Portal gives you access to your medical records at UNC Rockingham Health Care. Please contact the HIM Department at 336-627-6194 if you are interested.
11. The patient has the right to assessment, monitoring, and management of pain.
12. The patient has the right to voice complaints and recommend changes in policies and services to physicians, nurses, and other hospital staff of their choice without restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or punishment. They will be free to express these complaints without threat of discharge or compromise of their future access to care at this hospital.
13. If the patient feels s/he is not receiving the appropriate services, s/he is encouraged to speak to the physician, nurse, or other hospital staff member who is responsible for honoring that right or delivering that service.
14. If the patient is not satisfied with the outcome of such a conversation or prefers not to discuss the situation with the care provider, then he or she may contact 336-627-8525 and a staff member will provide a problem-solving service to patients, relatives, guardians, and visitors in our hospital.

15. If the patient has concerns regarding quality of care or premature discharge, there are organizations to contact. If the patient is a Medicare patient, s/he should refer to his/her Medicare letter received at admission.

Patient Responsibilities

1. Patients have a responsibility to follow hospital rules and regulations.
2. Patients are required to remain on their assigned unit throughout hospitalization to ensure the patient’s safety and effective treatment. Patients are not allowed to leave the unit under any circumstances, including leaving to smoke. Patients choosing to leave the assigned unit, regardless of circumstances, are considered to have left AMA (against medical advice) and the attending physician will be notified.
3. Patients are also responsible for ensuring that the healthcare institution has a copy of their written Advance.
4. Patients are responsible for providing information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications,and other matters related to health status.
5. To participate effectively in decision making, patients must be encouraged to take responsibility for requesting additional information or clarification about their health status or treatment when they do not fully understand information and instructions.
6. Patients should notify the physician or care coordinator when they do not understand a diagnosis, treatment, or prognosis.
7. Patients are responsible for informing their physicians and other caregivers if they anticipate problems in following prescribed treatment.
8. A person's health depends on much more than healthcare service. Patients are responsible for recognizing the impact of their lifestyle (such as nutrition, substance abuse, stress and more) on their personal health.
9. Clean hands help prevent the spread of infection. Our healthcare providers will practice good hand hygiene(soap/water and hand sanitizer) while caring for you. If they don’t, speak up and ask them to do so. We encourage you, your family and visitors to clean your hands often while in the hospital.
10. Patients must accept their financial obligations associated with their care.
11. Patients and their visitors should be considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel. Please assist in the control of noise by limiting conversations and gatherings in the hallways, by limiting use of cell phones in the hallways, and by traveling to and from one's destinations quietly.