Patient Rights

Singing River Health System Patient Rights

At Singing River Health System, patient rights are respected without regard to age, gender/gender identity, cultural, economic, educational, religious background, sexual orientation, or source of payment.

These rights also apply to any person who may have the legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on the patient’s behalf.

You have the right to:

1. Considerate care, including respect for your cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and personal values, beliefs and preferences.
2. Request the services of an interpreter, at no cost to you, if you have limited English skills or are hearing impaired.
3. Request access to provide medical records to those of your choosing.
4. Know who is providing medical services and who is responsible for his or her care.
5. Receive information about your health status, diagnosis, prognosis, course of treatment, prospects for recovery and outcomes of care (including unanticipated outcomes) in language that you can understand. You have the right to effective communication and to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care. You have the right to participate with discussion concerning ethical questions that arise in the course of your care, including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative services and forgoing or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.
6. Refuse any care, treatment or services except as otherwise provided by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
7. Voice concerns regarding any issues you may have, including ethical issues, to a department head or supervisor.
8. Know if medical treatment is for experimental research purposes and to give his or her consent or refusal to participate in such research.
9. Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
10. Have, revise or execute an Advance Directive (Living Will or Healthcare Surrogate) and to have that directive honored.
    
    Advanced Directive: Written or oral instructions you give relating to the providing of healthcare in the event you become unable to make your own decisions.
    
    Living Will: States the kind of medical care you want or do not want if you become unable to make your own decisions.
    
    Healthcare Surrogate: Any person you designate to have authority to make healthcare decisions for yourself. You can cancel this document or change your selected surrogate at any time before you become incapacitated.
11. Privacy concerning your medical care. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment are confidential and shall be conducted discreetly. You have the right to have visitors leave prior to an examination or when treatment issues are being discussed.
12. Confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to your care and stay in the hospital. You will receive a separate “Notice of Privacy Practices” that explains your rights in detail and how Singing River Health System may use and disclose your protected health information.
13. Receive care in a safe setting, free from mental, physical, sexual or verbal abuse and neglect, exploitation or harassment. You have the right to access protective and advocacy services including notifying government agencies of neglect or abuse.
14. Be free of restraints and seclusion unless needed for safety.
15. Be informed about any continuing health care requirements after his/her discharge from the hospital. The patient shall also have the right to receive assistance from the physician and appropriate hospital staff in arranging for required follow-up care after discharge.
16. Designate visitors, including but not limited to a spouse, a domestic partner, family members, and friends. These visitors will not be restricted or otherwise denied visitation privileges on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or disability. All visitors will enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with any clinically necessary or other reasonable restriction or limitation that facilities may need to place on such rights.
17. Examine and receive an explanation of your medical bill regardless of source of payment, and may receive upon request, information relating to the availability of known financial resources.
18. Exercise your rights without regard to sex, economic status, educational background, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, registered domestic partnership status or the source of payment for care.
19. File a complaint or grievance with Singing River Health System.
    
    We listen—write or call:
    
    Singing River Health System
    Guest Relations
    (228) 818-1103
    Medicare Beneficiaries that would like to file a complaint or grievance regardless of whether you use the facility’s grievance process, should call:
    
    Kepro Beneficiary Helpline: 1-888-317-0751
    TTY: *711
    
    To file a complaint or grievance with the Mississippi Department of Health regardless of whether you use the hospital’s grievance process, write or call:
    
    Mississippi Department of Health
    570 East Woodrow Drive | Jackson, MS 39216
    
    24-hour information: 1-866-458-4948 (1-866-HLTHY4U)
20. File a complaint or grievance against a DNV Healthcare accredited organization.
    
    Website: dnvhealthcareportal.com
    Email: [email protected]
    Phone: 1-866-496-9647
    Fax: (281) 870-4818
    Mail:
    DNV Healthcare USA Inc.
    Attn: Hospital Complaints
    4435 Aicholtz Road, Suite 900 | Cincinnati, OH 45245