Patient Bill of Rights
( In accordance with the Pennsylvania Provisions for Licensure 553.12)
- A patient has the right to expect to respectful care by competent personnel.
- A patient has the right, upon request, to be given the name of his/her attending practitioners, the names of all other practitioners directly participating in his/her care and the names and functions of other heath care persons having direct contact with the patient.
- A patient has the right to consideration of privacy concerning his/her own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment is considered confidential and shall be conducted discreetly.
- A patient has the right to have records pertaining to his/her medical care treated as confidential except as otherwise provided by law or third party contractual arrangements.
- A patient has a right to know what facility rules and regulations apply to his/her conduct as a patient.
- The patient has the right to expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
- The patient has the right to good quality care and high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.
- The patient has the right to change physicians if other qualified physicians are available.
- The patient has the right to full information in layman’s terms, concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis including information about alternative treatments and possible complications. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information will be made available to an appropriate person on his behalf.
- Except for emergencies, the practitioners shall obtain the necessary Informed Consent prior to the start of a procedure.
- A patient or, if the patient is unable to give informed consent, a responsible person, has the right to be advised when the practitioner is considering the patient as part of a medical care research program or doctor program, and the patient or responsible person, shall give informed consent prior to actual participation in the program. A patient, or responsible person, may refuse to continue in a program to which he has previously given informed consent.
- A patient has the right to refuse drugs or procedures to the extent permitted by statue, and a practitioners shall inform the patient of the medical consequences of the patient’s refusal of drugs or procedures.
- A patient has the right to medical and nursing services without discrimination based upon age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, disability or source of payment.
- The patient who does not speak English shall have access, where possible to an interpreter.
- The ASF shall provide the patient, or patient designee, upon request, access to the information contained in his medical records, unless access is specifically restricted by the attending practitioner for medical reasons.
- The patient has the right to expect good management techniques to be implemented within the ASF. These techniques shall make effective use of the time of the patient and avoid the personal discomfort of the patient.
- When an emergency occurs and a patient is transferred to another facility, the responsible person will be notified. The institution to which the patient is to be transferred shall be notified prior to the patient’s transfer.
- The patient has a right to examine and receive an explanation of his/her bill.
- A patient has the right to expect that the ASF will provide information for continuing health care requirements following discharge and the means for meeting them.
- A patient has the right to be informed of his/her rights before admission.
To register complaints concerning rights, contact:
- www.cms.hhs.gov/center/ombudsman.asp OR
- Pennsylvania Department of Health 717-787-6267 OR
- Jane Tamanini, R.N., Director of Nursing, 825 Sir Thomas Court, Harrisburg, PA, 17109, 717-901-5008
- Vivian Wisniewski, R.N., Director of Nursing, 5124 E Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, 717-652-8670