What are our goals for patient & family rights here at CHCS?

It is important to recognize and respect the rights of a patient, and provide care, treatment and services in a manner that respects and fosters the patient’s dignity, autonomy, civil rights, and involvement in his or her care. Care, treatment, and services are planned and provided with regard to the patient’s personal values, beliefs, and preferences. The components involved with Patient Rights and responsibilities are:

• Developing and communicating patient rights. 
• Participating in care decisions.
• Obtaining informed consent.
• Right to know care providers 
• Respecting the patient’s rights, including end-of-life care.
• Patient responsibilities

Good to Review:

• Advanced Directive – A legal document indicating what life-sustaining treatment is to be administered, discontinued, or withheld if an individual has lost his or her ability to make medical decisions about his or her own health care.
• Who is considered a legal adult? – Patients 18 years or older are legally considered adults, and expected to make their own decisions, unless legally recognized surrogate decision-maker is identified.
• It is OUR responsibility to ask all patients >18 years old if they have advanced directives.
• If a patient has an Advance Directive, ask for a copy to place in the medical record.
• If the patient does NOT have an Advanced Directive – the patient should be offered written information about advanced directives. (this can be found in the admission packet)

Questions a Surveyor might ask you:

• Have you received education on end-of-life care? – YES! Associates are required to complete modules yearly on patient rights, ethics, diversity, advanced directives and end-of-life issues.

• How are patients informed about their Rights and Responsibilities?

1. The “Understanding Patient Rights” booklet is provided to the patient at the time of admission or outpatient visit.
2. The “Notice of Privacy Rights” (HIPAA information) is provided to each patient at registration. 
3.  Be prepared to discuss both of these with a surveyor.

• Does a patient have the right to refuse treatment? – YES! Patient and family involvement in care decisions are encouraged, including the decision to refuse treatment.

• What is “Informed Consent”?

1. Informed Consent –a process that allows the patient or the patient’s legal representative, full participation in decisions regarding the patient’s care, treatment, and services. 
2. Informed Consent can ONLY occur when the patient or the patient’s legal representative fully understands the nature of the intervention and its risk and benefits, as well as the alternatives and their risk and benefits.
3. Informed consent occurs when the patient or patient’s legal representative accepts or rejects a medical intervention willingly and without coercion.

• Have I received education about patient confidentiality? –YES! Associates are required to complete a module yearly regarding HIPAA privacy and security awareness as well as during new hire orientation.

 What is the proper way to dispose of Protected Health Information (PHI)?

1. PHI should be placed in a locked shredder receptacle in your department. PHI should NEVER be discarded in regular trash cans. 
2. PHI should NEVER be emailed to any email except a “chcsks.org” unless encryption is in place. Contact IT if needed.
3. Patient information should NEVER be discussed in hallways, in your home, in other public places, or with employees that are not involved in the patient’s care. 

Do your part to keep patient’s rights to privacy and confidentiality by:

1. Refraining from discussing patient information publicly or at home.
2. Proper disposal of PHI in appropriate receptacles.
3. Covering patients during transportation (i.e. blanket on lap or gown tied up in the back)
4. Knocking BEFORE entering a room and keeping doors closed during treatments (using privacy curtains as appropriate)
5. Patient access is ONLY accessed on a “need to know” basis via computer, paper, or verbal. 

PATIENT INTERVIEWS/OBSERVATIONS

Keep in mind they will also observe and interview our patients. Here are some questions the patients might be asked.

• What is your knowledge of your plan of care?
• Do you know how the care plan is being implemented?
• Tell me about the quality of the services you have and are receiving.
• Do you have and understand your advanced directive? (inside admission packet)
• Do you know how to voice a grievance/complaint? (inside admission packet)