Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Every patient has the following rights:

Access to Care: To receive appropriate treatment and services regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, culture, color, national origin, language, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, newborn status, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, gender identity or expression, or source of payment.
Considerate Care: To receive considerate, respectful care from qualified personnel who respect the patient’s dignity, personal values, belief system and culture, and the right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment. The patient has the right to protective services.
Privacy: To be given individual privacy during interviews, examinations, and treatment. This includes the patient’s right to request that a person of their own sex be present during certain parts of physical examination, procedure, or treatment.
Notification of Admission, Discharge, and/or Transfer: To have a family member or a representative of the patient’s choice and their own physician notified promptly of their admission to the hospital, discharge, and/or transfer to another facility.
Identity of Physicians and Staff: To be informed of the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating the patient's care and the names and professional relationship of other physicians and staff who provide care and treatment.
Confidentiality: To have the patient's medical records, diagnosis, care, and method of payment kept confidential. This information will not be released to other parties without the patient's/legal guardian's written consent, unless otherwise permitted or required by law. The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides patients additional privacy rights as delineated in the Notice of Privacy Practices.
Information: To obtain current information regarding the patient's health status from the physician responsible for coordinating the patient's care. Such information includes diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis, communicated in language that the patient can reasonably be expected to understand. In an emergency, if the patient should lack the capability to make decisions, the information will be made available to a legally authorized individual. The patient has the right to access information in their medical record as outlined in the Notice of Privacy Practices.
Healthcare Decision Making: To be given the information necessary to allow the patient to actively participate in the development and implementation of a plan of care. The right to participate in the ethical questions that arise in the course of the patient's care, including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative services, and foregoing or withdrawing life sustaining treatment. The right to request a different physician or to transfer to another health care facility for religious or other reasons.
Communication: To communicate with people outside the hospital, when admitted to the hospital, either in person or through verbal or written communication, and to designate who is and is not permitted to visit during their stay. If the patient does not speak or understand the predominant language of the community, someone will be provided to interpret medical information. Patients with vision, speech, hearing, or cognitive impairment may receive information in a manner that meets their needs.
Informed Consent: To receive information about the medical procedures or treatments that require consent, including an explanation of risks involved, probability of success and alternative treatments that may be available. Except in emergencies, the patient's consent or the consent of their legally authorized representative will be obtained before treatment is administered.
Advocate: To have another person, of the patient’s choice, serve as an advocate.
Personal Safety: To have medical providers and other staff will do everything possible to ensure the patient's safety while in the facilities.
Continuity of Care: To expect reasonable continuity of care and to be informed by physicians and other caregivers of available and realistic options for care when care at the facility is no longer appropriate.
Consult Another Physician: To request a specialist or an opinion from another physician.
Refusal of Treatment: To accept, limit, discontinue, or refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. The patient will be informed of the potential medical consequences of refusing treatment or leaving the hospital against medical advice. Neither MCHS nor the physician(s) will be responsible for any harm caused to the patient or any other person as a result of the patient leaving against medical advice.
Transfer: Except in emergencies, the patients admitted to the hospital may not be transferred to another facility unless the patient or his or her legal representative has agreed to the transfer and received an explanation concerning the need for transfer, the risks, benefits, and alternatives of such a transfer. The transfer will not be arranged unless it is acceptable to the receiving facility and the transfer is made in accordance with current laws.
Research: To give prior informed consent for participation in any form of research.
Advance Directives: To have an advance directive (such as a Living Will or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare) concerning treatment with the expectation that the facility will honor the intent of that directive to the extent permitted by law and the facility’s policy.
Pain Management: To appropriate assessment and management of pain. A patient can expect: (1) information about pain management and pain relief measures, (2) provision of pain relief measures and other forms of comfort care when needed.
Explanation of Healthcare Facility Charges: To be informed about charges for services and available payment methods. Patients are permitted to examine the bill and receive an explanation of the bill, regardless of source of payment. Upon request, the patient also has the right to receive information relating to financial assistance available through the facility.
Restraints and Seclusion: To be free from unnecessary restraint or seclusion. Restraint devices are utilized only when clinically warranted to prevent a patient from injury to self or others and when less restrictive interventions are ineffective or inadequate. Restraint devices are used in a manner that provides safety without causing the patient harm, pain, or physical discomfort and maintaining the highest level of self-esteem possible.
Children's Rights: All patients, regardless of age, have rights. Pediatric patients have the following additional rights:

To receive medical treatment with prior consent from a parent, legal guardian, or the court system. The only exception to this is in the event of an emergency, when treatment would begin immediately.
To have their parent or legal guardian serve as their advocate.
To socialization and age appropriate emotional support, during hospitalization.

Patient Responsibilities

Patients have the following responsibilities:

Provision of Information: To provide accurate and complete information about present medical problems, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to their health to the best of their abilities. Patients are responsible for reporting whether they clearly understand a course of treatment and to request additional information and clarification.
Compliance with Instructions: To follow the treatment plan recommended by the provider primarily responsible for their care. This may include following instructions or keeping appointments and notifying the responsible provider or the facility if they are unable to do so.
Refusal of Treatment: To accept responsibility for actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow the provider's instructions.
Payment of Charges: To meet financial obligations or make the facility aware of financial hardship. Patients are responsible for understanding the requirements of their insurance plan and for providing necessary information for insurance claims.
Healthcare Facility Rules and Regulations: To follow the facility’s policies and procedures regarding patient care, safety, and conduct.
Advance Directives: To insure that the facility has a copy of their written advance directive, if they have one. Patients have a responsibility for informing the physician and other caregivers of their care wishes if they do not have an advance directive.
Respect and Consideration: To be considerate of the rights and property of other patients and the facility’s personnel. Patients admitted to the hospital are also responsible for following the hospital’s policy regarding number of visitors.
Concerns or Complaints: To tell facility staff if they are not satisfied with their care and follow appropriate channels for submitting a compliant or grievance.

Resources to share complaints or concerns and resolve issues include:

Your provider
Registered nurses caring for you
Unit manager

Or, you may write or call:

Administration
Marshfield Clinic Health System
1000 N. Oak Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449-5777
Phone: 1-800-782-8581, ext. 7-5300

To file a complaint with MCHS for care received in a medical office or hospital, please complete this form.

To file a complaint with MCHS for care received in Behavioral Health, please complete this form.

For Laboratory concerns, call the Laboratory medical director or quality manager at 715-221-6300.

You also may contact these agencies about issues concerning patient safety and quality of hospital care that has not been addressed to your satisfaction:

The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1-800-994-6610
Email: complaint@jointcommission.org
www.jointcommission.org

Livanta LLC (for Medicare beneficiaries)
BFCC-QIO Program
10820 Guilford Road, Suite 202
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-1262
Phone: 1-888-524-9900 or 1-888-985-8775 (TTY)

Wisconsin Division of Quality Assurance
P.O. Box 2969
Madison, WI 53701-2060
Phone: 608-266-8481
Fax: 608-267-0352
www.dhs.wisconsin.gov

For Laboratory concerns contact:

Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Central Office
Division of Laboratory Services (CLIA)
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S2-12-25
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850
1-877-267-2323, ext. 63531