Grand View Health > Patients & Visitors > Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

As a patient you or your legally responsible party, have the right to receive care without discrimination due to age, sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, income, education, national origin, ancestry, marital status, culture, language, disability, gender, identity or who will pay your bill. As our patient, you have the right to safe, respectful and dignified care at all times. You will receive services and care that is medically suggested and within the hospital’s services, its stated mission, and required law and regulations.

Communication

You have the right to:

  • Have a family member, another person that you choose, or your doctor notified when you are admitted to the hospital.
  • Receive information in a way that you understand. This includes interpretation and translation, free of charge, in the language you prefer for talking about your healthcare. This also includes providing you with needed help if you have vision, speech, hearing or cognitive impairments.
  • Designate a support person, if needed, to act on your behalf to assert and protect your patient rights.

Informed Decisions

You have the right to:

  • Receive information about your current health, care, outcomes, recovery, ongoing healthcare needs and future health status in terms that you understand.
  • Be informed about proposed care options including the risks and benefits, other care options, what could happen without care, and the outcome(s) of any medical care provided, including any outcomes that were not expected. You may need to sign your name before the start of any procedure and/or care. “Informed consent” is not required in the case of an emergency.
  • Be involved in all aspects of your care and to take part in decisions about your care.
  • Make choices about your care based on your own spiritual and personal values.
  • Request care. This right does not mean you can demand care or services that are not medically needed.
  • Refuse any care, therapy, drug or procedure against the medical advice of a doctor. There may be times that care must be provided based on the law.
  • Expect the hospital to get your permission before taking photos, recording or filming you if the purpose is for something other than patient identification, care, diagnosis or therapy.
  • Decide to take part or not take part in research or clinical trials for your condition, or donor programs that may be suggested by your doctor. Your participation in such care is voluntary and written permission must be obtained from you or your legal representative before you participate. A decision to not take part in research or clinical trials will not affect your right to receive care.

Visitation

You have the right to:

  • Decide if you want visitors or not while you are hospitalized. The hospital may need to limit visitors to better care for you or other patients.
  • Designate visitors during your stay. These individuals do not need to be legally related to you.
  • Designate a support person who may determine who can visit you if you become incapacitated.

Care Planning

You have the right to:

  • Receive a medical screening exam to determine treatment.
  • Participate in the care that you receive in the hospital.
  • Receive instructions on follow-up care and participate in decisions about your plan of care after you are discharged.
  • Receive a prompt and safe transfer to the care of others when this hospital is not able to meet your request or need for care or service. You have the right to know why a transfer to another healthcare facility might be required, as well as learning about other options for care. The hospital cannot transfer you to another hospital unless that hospital has agreed to accept you.

Care Delivery

You have the right to:

  • Expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
  • Expect that all healthcare screenings and testing will be free from race-based components ensuring the most comprehensive level of care is provided at all times.
  • Receive care in a safe setting free from any form of abuse, harassment and neglect.
  • Receive kind, respectful, safe, quality care delivered by skilled staff.
  • Know the names of doctors and nurses providing care to you and the names and roles of other healthcare workers and staff that are caring for you.
  • Request a consultation by another healthcare provider.
  • Receive proper assessment and management of pain, including the right to request or reject any or all options to relieve pain.
  • Receive care free from restraints or seclusion unless necessary to provide medical, surgical or behavioral healthcare.
  • Receive efficient and quality care with high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.

Privacy and Confidentiality

You have the right to:

  • Limit who knows about your hospital stay.
  • Be interviewed, examined and discuss your care in places designed to protect your privacy.
  • Be advised why certain people are present and ask others to leave during sensitive talks or procedures.
  • Expect all communications and records related to care, including who is paying for your care, to be treated as private.
  • Receive written notice that explains how your personal health information will be used and shared with other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
  • Review and request copies of your medical record unless restricted for medical or legal reasons.

Hospital Bills

You are responsible for paying for the healthcare that you received as promptly as possible. As a patient, you have the right to:

  • Review, obtain, request and receive a detailed explanation of your hospital charges and bills.
  • Receive information and counseling on ways to help pay for the hospital bill.
  • Request information about any business or financial arrangements that may impact your care.

Your Responsibilities

As a patient, family member or guardian, you have the right to know all hospital rules and what we expect of you during your hospital stay.

Provide Information

As a patient, family member or guardian, we ask that you:

  • Provide accurate and complete information about current healthcare problems, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to your health.
  • Report any condition that puts you at risk (for example, allergies or hearing problems).
  • Report unexpected changes in your condition to the healthcare professionals taking care of you.
  • Provide a copy of your Advance Directive, Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and any organ/tissue donation permissions to the healthcare professionals taking care of you.
  • Tell us who, if any, visitors you want during your stay.

You are responsible for your actions if you refuse care or do not follow care instructions.

Respect and Consideration

As a patient, family member or guardian we ask that you:

  • Recognize and respect the rights of other patients, families and staff. Threats, violence or harassment of other patients and hospital staff will not be tolerated.
  • Comply with the hospital’s no smoking policy.
  • Refrain from conducting any illegal activity on hospital property. If such activity occurs, the hospital will report it to the police.

Safety

As a patient, family member or guardian we ask that you:

  • Promote your own safety by becoming an active, involved and informed member of your healthcare team.
  • Ask questions if you are concerned about your health or safety.
  • Make sure your doctor knows the site/side of the body that will be operated on before a procedure.
  • Remind staff to check your identification before medications are given, blood/blood products are administered, blood samples are taken, or before any procedure.
  • Remind caregivers to wash their hands before taking care of you.
  • Be informed about which medications you are taking and why you are taking them.
  • Ask all hospital staff to identify themselves.

Complaints, Concerns and Questions

You and your family/guardian have the right to:

  • Tell hospital staff about your concerns or complaints regarding your care. This will not affect your future care.
  • Seek review of quality of care concerns, coverage decisions and concerns about your discharge.
  • Expect a timely response to your complaint or grievance from the hospital. Complaints or grievances may be made in writing, by phone or in person. The hospital has a duty to respond to these complaints or grievances in a manner that you can understand.

To share your concerns, complaints, or grievances with the hospital, contact Grand View’s Patient Relations Department at 215-453-4975. Patients may refer safety concerns to the Grand View Health Patient Safety Officer at 215-453-4969.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is also available to assist you with any questions or concerns about your hospital care. You can reach the Department of Health by calling 800-254-5164 or writing:

Acute and Ambulatory Care Services
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Health and Welfare Building
Room 532
625 Forster Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120

You may also contact The Joint Commission, a hospital accreditation organization at:

The Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
800-994-6610 or complaint@jointcommission.org