Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Your rights as a patient of Hendrick Health

Hendrick Medical Center and its affiliates ("Hendrick") respect the rights of patients, and recognize that each patient is an individual with unique health care needs. Hendrick is committed to providing considerate, respectful care consistent with Hendrick's Christian values, and expects patients to fulfill their responsibilities.

• You are entitled to dignified and respectful care regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Your cultural beliefs, preferences and personal values will be respected during your treatment at Hendrick. You have a right to have your religious and spiritual services accommodated
• You are entitled to effective communication that is tailored to your age, language, and ability to understand. You will be provided interpretation and translation services as necessary at no cost to you; the hospital communicates with those who have vision, speech, hearing or cognitive impairments in a manner that meets their needs.
• You, and when appropriate, your representatives, (guardian, surrogate decision-maker/agent, or other legally authorized person, to the extent permitted by law), are entitled to be informed of your rights in advance of furnishing or discontinuing patient care, including resuscitative services whenever possible.
• You are entitled to a process for prompt resolution of patient grievances. Hendrick will inform you of the grievance process on admission, including whom to contact to file a grievance.
• You and, when appropriate, your representatives are entitled to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care and to make informed decisions regarding your care. You are entitled to be informed of your health status, to be informed of your prognosis, to be given written information regarding your right to accept or refuse medical/surgical treatment, to be involved in care planning and treatment, including the appropriate assessment and management of pain, and to be able to request or refuse medical or surgical treatment.
• Your representative has the right, to the extent permitted by law, to exercise the rights delineated on your behalf if you have been legally declared incompetent, are found by your physician to be incapable of understanding the proposed treatment or procedure, are unable to communicate your wishes regarding treatment, or are a minor.
• You are not entitled to the provision of treatment or services deemed medically unnecessary or inappropriate.
• You will only be included in any medical research or educational project if you expressly consent to such participation. If asked to participate in a research project you are entitled to an explanation of the expected benefits and potential discomforts and risks associated with participating in such project. You will be given a full explanation of the procedures to be followed in the project, a description of alternative services that may be advantageous to you, and the information that you may refuse to participate in such research project, and that such refusal will not compromise your access to medically indicated services. Please note that unless you specifically elect otherwise any samples taken or PHI released for the purposes of the medical research or educational project may be used or disclosed for future research purposes including information collected beyond the time of the original study.
• You are entitled to formulate advance directives and to appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on your behalf to the extent permitted by law and to have Hendrick staff and practitioners who provide care at Hendrick comply with such directives.
• You or your representative has the right to be informed about unanticipated outcomes of care, treatment, and services that relate to sentinel events considered reviewable by the Joint Commission.
• You are entitled to have a family member or patient representative of your choice and/or your physician notified promptly of your admission to Hendrick. The hospital allows a family member, friend, or other individual to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of stay. The hospital allows for the presence of a support individual of the patient’s choice, unless the individual’s presence infringes on the others’ rights, safety, or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient’s representative. Your visitation rights include the right to receive the visitors designated by the patient, including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. Also included is the right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time. In order to ensure that the hospital is able to focus its resources on caring for patients, all visitors must be able to safely stay alone and take care of their own needs, or be accompanied by an adult other than the patient.
• You are entitled, to the extent permitted by law, to your privacy.
• You have the right to a safe environment.
• Your medical records will be confidential unless given permission to release information or reporting is required by law. Hendrick will give you access to information contained in your clinical records within a reasonable timeframe. Hendrick will allow you to access, request amendment to, and obtain information on disclosures of your health information, in accordance with law and regulation.
• You are entitled to be free from restraints of any form (physical or chemical) that are not medically necessary.
• You are entitled to know about policies at Hendrick that affect you, your treatment, payment options and other pertinent information, and will be informed of resources, such as patient representatives and bioethics committees, which can help you resolve problems and questions concerning your care.
• Hendrick will attempt to address your wishes relating to end-of-life decisions, which may include discontinuation of treatments, pain management, withdrawal of medications, and artificial life support.
• You are entitled to comfort and dignity during end-of-life care. You and your family's comfort, dignity, psychosocial, emotional and spiritual needs will be addressed as appropriate. Upon you and your family’s request, Hendrick will also provide support for death and grief issues.
• You are entitled to expect that Hendrick Medical Center will provide necessary health services to the best of our ability. Treatment, referral or transfer may be recommended. If transfer is recommended or requested, you will be informed of risks, benefits and alternatives. You will not be transferred until the other healthcare entity agrees to the acceptance.
• You are entitled to know if any Hendrick entities have relationships with outside parties that may influence your treatment and care. These relationships may be with educational institutions, other healthcare providers or insurers.
• You have the right to be free from neglect, exploitation; verbal, mental, physical and sexual abuse.You have a right to an environment that preserves dignity, and contributes to a positive self image.
• You have a right to be informed of the names and credentials of the individual(s) responsible for, as well as those providing, your care, treatment or services.

Responsibilities of a Patient

• You are responsible for providing information about your health, including past illnesses, hospital stays and use of medicine.
• You are responsible for asking questions when you do not understand information or instructions. If you believe you cannot follow through with your treatment, you are responsible for telling your doctors.
• You are responsible for providing information for insurance, other sources of funding and working with the Hospital to arrange payment for services.
• You are responsible for recognizing the effect of lifestyle on your personal health.
• You are responsible for following the rules and regulations of the hospital. You and your visitors are responsible for being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff and the hospital.
• You are responsible for safeguarding your valuables. It is suggested that you leave your valuables home, and if not possible, provide valuables to security for safe-keeping.