Superior quality and service in patient care is the primary concern of the personnel and medical staff at Capital Region Medical Center. To help us meet this expectation of high quality and compassionate care, Capital Region Medical Center adheres to a list of responsibilities that describes our philosophy and upholds our tradition of concern for our patients.
It is our belief that observance of these responsibilities contributes to effective patient care and greater satisfaction for you, your physician and, therefore, the medical center. In order to bring excellence in health care to you, we endeavor to:
- Provide considerate and respectful care in a safe setting free from all forms of abuse or harassment and assure that staff will follow current standards of practice for patient environmental safety, infection control and security. Patient/client services are provided to all (regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression).
- Provide complete, understandable, current information regarding your diagnosis, treatment and prospects for recovery that allows for effective communication. This will include interpretive services to those who speak languages other than English or who have speaking/hearing barriers. Your cultural and spiritual needs should be considered and accommodated, as possible
- Provide names and professional status of anyone directly responsible for your care and let you know their role in your care. You have the right to know the reasons for any proposed change in the professional staff responsible for your care.
- Provide as much information as you feel is needed from your physician before consenting to any treatment or procedure. You have the right to participate in the plan of your care. We encourage your participation in decisions about your treatment and care. Any questions concerning your illness, treatment, pain management, probable medical out-come, significant risks, alternatives and duration of incapacitation should be asked during this time.
- Provide you with every consideration of privacy concerning your medical care. You have the right to personal privacy and your medical records will be kept confidential and will be released only to those agencies or persons having your permission, or as required or allowed by Federal or state law. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and will be conducted discreetly. Those not directly involved in your care must have your permission to be present. You have the right to have a family member, surrogate decision maker or representative of your choice and your physician notified of your admission to the medical center
- Provide you with a reasonable response to the request for service, evaluation or referral as indicated by the urgency of the case. When medically permissible, you may be transferred to another facility after receiving complete information and an explanation concerning the need for and alternatives to a transfer
- Provide for the appropriate assessment and effective management of your pain.
- Allow you to designate a representative or a surrogate decision maker and formulate advance directives and have staff and practitioners comply with these directives. Additionally to provide the patient/family of the right of informed consent of donation of organs and tissues. Any provider who will not honor your Health Care Treatment Directive or decisions made by you or your agent is obligated to assist in arranging your transfer to a provider who will honor your Advance Directive
- Allow you to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequence of your refusal.
- Allow you to leave, even if your physician advises against it, unless statutes prohibit dismissal.
- Allow you to receive visitors that you designate for emotional support during the course of your stay, including, but not limited to your spouse, domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. You also have the right to withdraw or deny such consent any time. You have the right to designate a person to exercise visitation rights on your behalf should you be unable to exercise your visitation rights in situations where you are incapacitated or unconscious.
- Inform you that we are a teaching hospital and that you have the right to refuse treatment from a medical student, intern or resident. A variety of health care personnel are here as a part of their education and are an integral part of our health care team.
- Provide information as to any relationship of this hospital to other health care and educational institutions and the existence of any professional relationships among individuals, by name, who are treating you insofar as your care is concerned.
- Offer you the opportunity to participate in available research studies or procedures and to refuse participation without compromising access to services.
- Utilize restraints/seclusion only in an emergency when there is imminent risk of a patient harm to self or others.
- Provide you with the reason for any delay in your treatment
- Provide a continuity of care so that you know your appointment times and physician availability and location. You have the right to participate with discharge planning, including being informed of service options that are available to you and a choice of agencies which provide the service.
- Allow you access to information contained in your clinical record as quickly as the record keeping system permits.
- Provide you the opportunity to examine and receive an explanation of your bill regardless of source of payment (within a reasonable period of time). Provide you information regarding the source of the hospital’s reimbursement for services provided and of any limitations placed upon your care as a result.
- Offer appropriate consideration to someone who can act on your behalf as a surrogate decision maker if you are unable to request or comprehend the above listed medical center responsibilities. You have the right to voice a complaint without being subjected to coercion, discrimination, reprisal or unreasonable interruption of care.
- If you have a grievance, you can file your grievance verbally or in writing to Administration at 632-5001 (1125 Madison, Jefferson City, MO 65101). You may also contact the Missouri Health Facilities Regulation office at (573) 751-6303 (920 Wildwood, Jefferson City, MO 65109).
- If you have a concern about patient care and safety that the organization has not addressed, you may contact The Joint Commission at jointcommission.org, using the “Report a Patient Safety Event” link in the “Action Center” on the home page of the website, or fax to Office of Quality Monitoring (630) 792-5636, or mail to The Office of Quality and Patient Safety (OQPS), The Joint Commission, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181.
Patient Responsibilities
- Patients and their families, as appropriate have the responsibility to provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalization, medications and other matters relating to their health. They have the responsibility to report unexpected changes in their condition to the responsible practitioner. Patients and their families are asked to report concerns about safety to their caregiver. They can help the hospital by providing feedback about service needs and expectations.
- Patients and their families are responsible for making it known whether they clearly comprehend a contemplated course of action, what is expected of them, and their ability to follow the proposed plan of care.
- Patients and their families are responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by the practitioner primarily responsible for their care. This may include following the instructions of nurses and allied health personnel as they carry out the coordinated plan of care and implement the responsible practitioner's orders, and as they enforce the applicable medical center rules and regulations.
- Patients and their families are responsible for keeping appointments and, when unable to do so, for notifying the responsible practitioner or the medical center
- Patients and their families are responsible for their actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow the practitioner's instructions.
- Patients and their families are responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of their health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
- Patients and their families are responsible for following medical center rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
- Patients and their families are responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and medical center personnel, and for assisting in the control of noise, abiding by the Tobacco/Nicotine Free Policy and the number of visitors.
- Patients and their families are responsible for being respectful of the property of other persons and the medical center.
A copy of the CRMC Patient Rights and Responsibilities is to be provided to all inpatients, outpatients, and ED patients at the time of registration. Acknowledgement of such will be part of the registration (consent to treatment) process. Clinic patients and surrogate decision makers should be provided with a copy, if they request.