About the Patient Bill of Rights SMDC
The SMDC Patient Bill of Rights illustrates the health system's commitment to providing quality health care by protecting patients' rights to information, privacy, confidentiality, cultural and religious diversity, pain management, special communication needs, and billing information. It also provides for non-discrimination; respects advance directives for health care; and allows patients to designate visitors and initiate a grievance procedure if they feel that their rights have not been respected.
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Information
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SMDC protects their patients' rights to be informed about their own care, and to actively participate in the decision making process. They have the right to obtain information from their doctors in terms that are easy for them to understand. Except in an emergency situation, patients may not be transferred to another health care facility without being given a complete explanation regarding the transfer.
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Privacy and confidentiality
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SMDC believes that patients have the right to private and respectful medical care, and that all phases of treatment, from consultation to case discussion should be conducted in a discreet manner. SMDC does everything possible to ensure that patients are treated in a safe and secure atmosphere.
Nondiscrimination
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According to smdc.org, "[p]atients will not be denied appropriate care because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, newborn status, handicaps, or source of payment."
Ethical issues
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Advance directives for health care, such as living wills, are respected by the SMDC as provided by law. Patients are given information regarding advance directives upon request. Ethical issues, such as treatment options, are first discussed with the doctor involved in the case, and may be brought before the bioethics committee if necessary.
Refusal of treatment
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According to the Patient Bill of Rights, SMDC patients have the lawful right to refuse medical treatment, but must also be informed of the medical consequences of their refusal.
Special needs
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The SMDC will provide, at no extra cost, interpreters or other aids for hearing and/or sight impaired patients. If patients and their families speak and understand a language other than English, every attempt will be made to provide an interpreter for them.
Other provisions
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If a payment to SMDC is due from a patient, they have a right to receive a billing statement. Billing questions that patients may have can be answered by the financial services department. Under the SMDC Patient Bill of Rights, patients may also designate visitors, request information about other providers who they are referred to by SMDC, receive support and guidance regarding pain management, and file a grievance if they feel that their rights have been violated in some way.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit "Equipo" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Daquella manera (Daniel Lobo) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
