Quality & Patient Safety

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Do you know your rights as a patient?

As a patient in a Texas hospital, you have the right to make decisions concerning your medical care. We hope these rights will provide better patient care and greater satisfaction for you, your physician, and Wise Regional Health System.

These rights can be exercised on the patient’s behalf by a designated surrogate or proxy decision maker if the patient lacks decision-making capabilities, is legally incompetent, or is an unemancipated minor.

Patient Rights

The basic rights of human beings for independence of expression, decision, action, and concern for personal dignity and human relationships are always of great importance. During illness or injury, however, the presence or absence of these rights become vital deciding factors in survival and recovery. Thus, it becomes a prime responsibility to assure that these rights are preserved.

When providing care, Wise Regional Health System expects the behavior of patients and their relatives and friends to be reasonable and responsible in consideration of the nature of the patients’ illness. Wise Regional Health System also, through the application of this policy, provides assurances to their patients and families and friends that the rights and responsibilities will be preserved. Each patient should receive a copy of the information as provided in this patient rights policy at the time of admission, and it will be posted in an area of the hospital convenient for viewing by patients and families.

The hospital has established policies and procedures to provide a reasonable response to the patient’s requests and needs for treatment or service, within the Hospital’s capacity, its stated mission and applicable law and regulation. Patients have the right to medical services whenever and wherever the emergency arises.
The patient has a right to considerate and respectful care at every health care facility by every health care provider that shall include effective pain management, consideration of the psycho-social, spiritual and cultural variables that influence the perceptions of illness.
The dying patient has a right to considerate and respectful care that optimizes the comfort and dignity of the patient.
The patient has the right, in collaboration with his/her physician, to make decisions involving his/her health care, and to participate in the development and implementation of his or her plan of care and to make informed decisions regarding his/her care.
The Patient has the right to formulate Advance Directives (see your nurse for more details).
The patient has the right to information necessary to enable him/her to make decisions that reflect his/her wishes based on the hospital’s policy on informed decision making consistent with all legal requirements.
The patient has the right to receive, at the time of admission, information about the hospital’s patient’s rights policies and mechanisms by which the patient can express concerns about the quality of care received, as well as how to take action when that care is inadequate. The procedure requires the timely review of every written or oral concern brought to the attention of the hospital as well as a report to the person who registers the concern on the results of the review. Should you desire to bring a concern to the attention of the hospital, please contact the Administrator or the Chief Nursing Officer.
The patient or the patient’s designated representative has a right to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in the care of the patient.
The patient has the right to be informed of any human experimentation or other research or educational progress affecting his/her care or treatment and to refuse to participate in any such activity.
The patient has the right, within the limits of law, to personal privacy and to know his/her medical records are confidential and only used for legitimate purposes.
The patient or patient’s legally designated representative has the right of access to information contained in the patient’s medical records, within the limits of the law, and within a reasonable time frame.
The patient’s guardian, next-of-kin, or legally authorized responsible person has the right to exercise, to the extent permitted by law; the rights delineated on behalf of the patient if the patient:
- has been adjudicated incompetent in accordance with the law;
- is found by his/her physician to be medically incapable of understanding the proposed treatment or procedure;
- is unable to communicate his/her wishes regarding treatment;
- is a minor.
Each patient has rights with respect to the use of restraints for acute medical and surgical care.
Each patient has rights with respect to the use of restraints for behavior management.

Privacy, Confidentiality and HIPAA

Wise Regional Health System values protection of the private health information of our patients. We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal.

Privacy and confidentiality mean that patients have the right to control who will see their protected and identifiable health information. This means that communications with or about patients involving patient health information will be private and limited to those people who need such information in order to provide/conduct treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

A new federal law known as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) mandates that all covered entities comply with regulations concerning the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information. A covered entity is any healthcare provider (doctors, dentists, hospitals, etc.), healthcare clearinghouses, and health plans. As a covered entity, Wise Regional Health System is committed to obeying the law and respecting your privacy.

Compliance with HIPAA was required by April 14, 2003. As of that date, all patients should receive a copy of the hospital’s Notice of Privacy Practices on their first admission. This document explains how your protected health information may be used by the hospital in conjunction with the law as well as your rights with regards to your private health information.

If you have any questions concerning our privacy practices, please contact your nurse or the hospital’s Privacy Officer at (940) 627-5921 extension 1248.

If you feel that Wise Regional Health System has violated your privacy, you may make a complaint to our Privacy Officer at (940) 627-5921 extension 1248 or you may file a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe the law has been violated.

Compliance

Wise Regional Health System must follow many laws, regulations, policies, and procedures that affect our conduct. To obtain guidance on a compliance issue or report a possible violation, you may report your concerns to your nurse, the Compliance Officer or any other member of the Compliance Committee, or you can always contact the COMPLIANCE HOTLINE at 1-877-668-4394.

Patient Safety – Fall Precautions

At Wise Regional Health System, fall precautions are an extremely important part of the patient’s safety. Protocols are in place to maintain safety for all patients and visitors.

When a patient is admitted, we recommend keeping two top bed rails elevated while in bed. For patient’s that are identified as a “high risk for falls”, an attempt will be made to place them near the nurses’ station or they may be placed on a “bed check.” The bed check system sounds an alarm and alerts nursing staff when a patient gets out of bed. There may be times when staff may request a friend or family member to remain with the patient to enhance patient safety.

(940) 627-5921