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Patient Portals

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

 

Your Rights as a Patient

At Trinity Health Of New England. we work to improve people’s health; treat people with injury and disease; educate doctors, health professionals, patients and community members; and improve understanding of health and disease. In carrying out these activities, we have the utmost respect for your values and dignity. This includes working with you to ensure the most successful outcomes possible. We believe the following guidelines will help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a patient and therefore make you an educated partner in your healthcare.

  1. You have the right to considerate, respectful care free of restriction based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.  
  2. You have the right to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care.
  3. You have the right to make informed decisions about your care including being informed of your health status, being involved in care planning and treatment, being able to request to be involved in care planning and treatment, and being able to request or refuse treatment, as permitted by law.   If you refuse a recommended treatment you will receive other needed and available care.
  4. You have the right to leave the Hospital even if your doctors advise against it, unless you have certain infectious diseases that may influence the health of others, or if you are incapable of maintaining your own safety or the safety of others, as defined by law. If you decide to leave before the doctor’s advice, the Hospital will not be responsible for any harm that this may cause you, and you will be asked to sign a “Leaving the Hospital Against Medical Advice” form.
  5. You have the right to know the names and roles of people involved in your care planning and treatment.
  6. You have the right to have a family member or representative of your choice and your physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
  7. You have the right to have an advance directive, such as a living will or other advance directive indicating your health care representative, and to have hospital staff who provide care comply with these directives, as permitted by law. These documents express your choices about your future care as well as name someone to speak on your behalf if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have a written advance directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your family, and your doctor.
  8. You have the right to personal privacy.
  9. You have the right to the confidentiality of your medical information. You have the right to receive a copy of Notice of Privacy Practices which informs you of how your medical information can be used or disclosed.
  10. You have the right to access and review your medical records in accordance with the Hospital’s Notice of Privacy Practices, and to have the information explained, except when restricted by law.
  11. You have the right to expect that the Hospital will give you necessary health services to the best of its ability. Treatment, referral, or transfer may be recommended. If transfer is recommended or requested, you will be informed of risks, benefits, and alternatives. You will not be transferred until the receiving institution agrees to accept you.
  12. You have the right to know if this Hospital has relationships with outside parties that may influence your treatment and care. These relationships may be with educational institutions, other health care providers, or insurers.
  13. You have the right to be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
  14. You have the right to know about Hospital rules that affect you and your treatment, and about charges for services rendered to you and payment methods.
  15. You have the right to know about Hospital resources, such as patient representatives, pastoral care or the Ethics Committee that can help you answer concerns and questions about your Hospital stay and care.
  16. You have the right to effective communication, including an interpreter or other resources made available by the Hospital to assist you when needed. If you have a speech, hearing and/or other impairments, you will be given additional aids to ensure your care and communication needs are met.  
  17. You have the right to receive visitors whom you designate. Your visitors cannot be restricted by the Hospital on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. However, visitation can be limited if the visitor’s presence infringes on others’ rights or safety, is medically or therapeutically necessary, or per a court order. You also have the right to withdraw or deny the visitation of any visitor, at any time.
  18. You have the right to designate (orally or in writing) a support person to exercise visitation rights on your behalf if you are unable to do so. This designation, however, does not extend to medical decision making.  
  19. You have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
  20. You have the right to be free from restraints of any form if they are not medically necessary.  
  21. You have the right to receive care in a safe setting that preserves dignity and contributes to a positive self-image.
  22. You have the right to be free from mental, physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, neglect and exploitation during your stay and care.
  23. You have the right to agree or refuse to take part in medical research studies. You may withdraw from a study at any time without impacting your access to standard care.
  24. You have the right to spiritual services. Chaplains are available to help you directly or to contact your own faith community leader.   You can reach a chaplain at any time during your stay by calling the Hospital operator who will contact the on-call chaplain.  
  25. You have the right to refuse consent for recordings, photographs, films, or other images to be produced or used for internal or external purposes other than identification, diagnosis, or treatment. You have the right to withdraw consent up until a reasonable time before the item is used.  
  26. You have the right to inquire and receive information about the possibility of financial assistance. As there are many different options for assistance, the billing office will work with you to obtain the most suitable assistance available to you. You may request an itemized bill for the services you have received. You may ask for an explanation of that bill. For inquiries related to financial assistance, please contact the financial assistance office at (860) 714-4952.   Financial information provided to the Hospital will remain confidential.  
  27. Make an Advance Directive, such as Health Care Proxy.
  28. You have the right to request that an autopsy be performed at Hospital or by another institution and by a physician unaffiliated with the Hospital. You are responsible for any fees incurred when an autopsy is performed by an unaffiliated organization or physician. You have the right to place restrictions and limitations on the autopsy and/or state any specific concerns (i.e. religious considerations etc.).
  29. You have a right to receive a copy of the Patient Bill of Rights.
  30. You have the right to make a complaint about your care. You may give your complaint to, the Patient Ombudsman, your Nurse, your Physician, or Hospital administration. Your care will not be affected by a complaint, and we will look into it as quickly as possible.
  31. If, after an administrative review of your complaint by the Hospital, you continue to be concerned about safety or quality of care provided in the Hospital, you have the right to contact the following: 

Your Responsibilities as a Patient 

The collaborative nature of healthcare requires participation by patients and/or their surrogates to ensure the Hospital’s ability to provide you the best care possible.   We ask that you accept the following responsibilities.  

  1. You are responsible for providing information about your health including past illnesses, hospital stays, and use of medicine. You are responsible for asking questions when you do not understand information or instructions. If you believe you cannot follow through with your treatment, you are responsible for telling your doctor.
  2. You are expected to actively participate in your pain management plan and to keep your doctors and nurses informed of the effectiveness of your treatment.
  3. This Hospital works to provide care efficiently and fairly to all patients and the community. You and your visitors are responsible for being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff, and the Hospital by:
    • Ensuring your roommate’s privacy;
    • Limiting your visitors to two at a time during specified visiting hours;
    • Reminding visitors to maintain a quiet atmosphere and that smoking is not permitted in the hospital; and
    • Using televisions, radios, telephones and lights in a manner that is not disruptive to others.
  4. If you choose to refuse a recommended treatment or procedure, you are responsible for any consequences of this refusal.
  5. You are responsible for providing information regarding insurance coverage, rules and for working with the Hospital to arrange payments, as needed.
  6. You are expected to leave valuables at home and only bring necessary items for your hospital stay.   Valuables that are brought into the Hospital should be sent home or sent to the Hospital safe.  
  7. You should provide the Hospital and your doctor with a copy of your written Advance Directives or Health Care Proxy? if you have completed these documents.
  8. You are responsible for complying with the Hospital’s safety and other regulations.
  9. Your health depends not just on your Hospital care but, in the long term, on the decisions you make in your daily life. You are responsible for recognizing the effect of life-style upon your personal health.

A hospital serves many purposes. Hospitals work to improve people’s health; treat people with injury and disease; educate doctors, patients, and community members; and improve understanding of health and disease. In carrying out these activities, we are committed to respecting your values and dignity.