PATIENT'S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a natural outgrowth of our belief, values and mission, St. John’s Mercy recognizes the rights and responsibilities of patients:

1. Patients have a right to quality health care, which includes consideration and respect for the physical, psychosocial, spiritual, educational, and cultural variables that influence their perceptions of illness. They have a right to expect reasonable continuity of care and assistance in locating alternate services when medically indicated.
   Patients have a responsibility to take care of their health to the best of their ability.
   
   
2. Patients have a right to information at the time of admission about the rules and regulations that apply to patient care and conduct and the hospital’s policies related to patient rights and responsibilities. Additionally, they have a right to information regarding the mechanism for initiation, review and, when possible, resolution of patient complaints concerning the quality of care.
   Patients have a responsibility to provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, and medication relating to their health care.
   
   
3. Patients have a right to expect the hospital to make a reasonable response to their request for services consistent with the hospital’s obligations, policies and moral religious beliefs, within the hospital’s capacity, its stated mission and applicable law and regulation.
   Patients have a responsibility for making health care decisions that affect their life.
   
   
4. Patients have a right to personal privacy and confidentiality of information. All patients and/or their legally designated representative have a right to access their medical record within a reasonable time frame.
   Patients have a responsibility to respect the privacy and confidentiality of other patients within the hospital and follow the rules that apply to patient care and conduct.
   
   
5. Patients have a right to have a family member or representative and their own physician notified promptly of their admission to the hospital.
   Patients have a responsibility to inform their nurse if they want a family member or physician to be notified of their admission.
   
   
6. Patients have a right to have personal possessions reasonably protected.
   Patients are asked to leave valuables at home or deposit in the hospital’s safe during hospitalization.
   
   
7. Patients have a right to receive care in a safe, secure setting and to be free from all forms of abuse, neglect or harassment.
   Patients have a responsibility to inform the health care team when they have issues or concerns related to their safety.
   
   
8. Patients have a right to assistance in obtaining protective services.
   Patients have a responsibility to inform the health care team when they have issues or concerns related to their safety.
   
   
9. Patients have a right to be free from seclusion or restraints of any form that are not medically necessary.
   Patients and their families have a responsibility to assist the health care team in maintaining the patient in the least restrictive environment.
   
   
10. Patients or their designated representative have a right to be informed of and participate in their care planning process and treatment decisions. Patients have a right to be informed of alternative treatments and to choose among the alternatives, including a right to accept or refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of their actions.
    Patients have the responsibility of cooperating in the treatment plan that has been decided.
    
    
11. Patients have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
    Patients are expected to inform the health care team when experiencing pain or when the pain relief plan is not working.
    
    
12. Patients or a designated representative have a right to participate in the patient’s discharge planning, including being informed of service options that are available to the patient and a choice of agencies that provide the service.
    Patients have a responsibility for making health care decisions that affect their life.
    
    
13. Patients have a right to formulate advance directives and to appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on their behalf to the extent permitted by law.
    Patients have a responsibility to inform the health care team of the existence of an advance directive and the intent contained therein.
    
    
14. Patients have a right to be informed about the outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes.
    Patients are encouraged to ask questions so that they may understand what to reasonably expect during their course of treatment.
    
    
15. The patient’s guardian, next-of-kin, or legally authorized responsible person has a right to exercise the rights delineated on behalf of the patient if the patient lacks the capacity for participating in the decision-making process.
    If a patient is unable to participate in the decision-making process, then the patient’s guardian, next-of-kin or legally authorized responsible person has the responsibility to make health care decisions consistent with the patient’s values and life goals.
    
    
16. Patients have a right to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in their care.
    Patients have a responsibility for making health care decisions that affect their life.
    
    
17. Patients have a right to be informed of any human experimentation or other research/educational projects which may affect their care or treatment
    Patients are responsible for their own actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow the physician’s or primary caregiver’s recommendations.
    
    
18. Patients have a right to examine and receive an explanation of their bill regardless of the source of payment.
    Patients have a responsibility to provide information necessary for claims processing and to be prompt in payment of bills.
    
    
19. Patients have a right to receive services at St. John's Mercy on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, veterans status or any other classification prohibited by law.
    Patients and their families should express any needs they may have to enable us to provide reasonable accommodations.
    

If you do not believe that St. John's Mercy has honored all of the rights outlined above and would like to express any concerns regarding this, please contact Administration at 636-239-8260 or in writing at 901 East Fifth Street Washington, MO 63090. Management representatives will assist the individual, facilitate the investigation of any complaints and respond to the patient. Should you require further review of the matter, you may participate in our Grievance Procedure.

You may also file a complaint with:
Health Standards and Licensure
Department of Health and Senior Services
P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-751-6303

You may file a complaint of discrimination with The Missouri Department of Social Services, Office for Civil Rights
P.O. Box 1527, Jefferson City, MO 65102
800-776-8014/800-776-6916 (TDD);
OR
Missouri Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights
P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-751-6400 • www.hhs.gov/ocr

St. John’s Mercy Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We encourage you to report, to your nurse or our administration, any concern about the quality of care provided, safety of care provided or safety of the environment in which care is provided. Anyone believing that he or she has pertinent and valid information about safety or quality concerns that have NOT been addressed by hospital management, may report these matters directly to the Joint Commission:

Division of Accreditation Operations, Office of Quality Monitoring
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1-800-994-6610 • Fax: (630) 792-5636 • complaint@jcaho.org

© 2008 St. John's Mercy Health Care
615 S. New Ballas Rd., St. Louis, Missouri, 63141