Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Patients and/or their representatives are provided with a verbal and written notice of the patient’s rights and responsibilities before treatment. Patient Rights and Responsibilities are applicable to the patient and the patient’s surrogate decision-maker. “Patient” is used with the understanding that if the patient is unable to make decisions, the surrogate decision-maker will do so.

What are Hospice Patient Rights?

A list of rights guaranteed to all hospice patients including what a hospice must provide to a person who is receiving hospice care.

Where can I find Hospice Patient Rights?

The Medicare Conditions of Participation are issued as regulations set by the federal government agency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Hospices must follow these regulations, which include a section on patient rights.

What do Hospice Patient Rights mean to hospice providers?

The hospice must inform each patient of his/her rights during the admission verbally and in writing.
The hospice must talk about and provide written information about the organization’s policies on advance directives, including a description of the State law.
The hospice must prove that they have reviewed the hospice patient’s rights by asking for the patient or caregiver’s signature.

What do Hospice Patient Rights include?

Each hospice patient has the right to:

Be treated with respect.
Receive quality end-of-life care.
Receive spoken and written notice of his or her rights and responsibilities in a manner they understand during the assessment meeting with hospice staff.
Receive information on advance directives including a living will and healthcare surrogate.
Voice concerns and not be discriminated against for doing so.
Receive pain management and symptom control.
Be involved in developing his or her hospice plan of care.
Refuse care or treatment.
Choose his or her attending physician.
Have a confidential medical record.
Be free from mistreatment, neglect, or verbal, mental, sexual, and physical abuse.
Receive information about the services covered under the Hospice Benefit.
Receive information about the services that the hospice will provide and any limitations on those services.

Patient Rights in a Hospice Facility

While receiving care at the Helen H. Hahn Inpatient Hospice Facility, patients have the following rights:

To receive visitors at any time, and in comfort and privacy
To refuse to talk to persons not associated with the organization or not directly involved in the patient’s care
Accommodations for family members to remain with the patient throughout the night
Allowed to keep and use personal clothing and possessions, unless this infringes on others’ rights or is medically contraindicated, based on the setting or service
To have his or her property treated with respect
environmental adaptations to help patients with dementia, cognitive impairment, or temporary confusion
Communication regarding room and roommate assignments and changes

The patient’s representative may exercise the patient’s rights in accordance with and to the extent allowed by State laws if the patient is not able to do so.

Patient Responsibilities

The safety of patients is enhanced when patients are partners in the health care process. In addition, organizations are entitled to reasonable and responsible behavior on the part of patients and their families. Patient responsibilities include the following:

To provide, to the best of his or her knowledge, accurate information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters related to their health
To provide the organization with information about their expectations of and satisfaction with the organization
To ask questions when they do not understand their care, treatment, or services or what they are expected to do
To follow instructions about their care, treatment, or services and to express any concerns about their ability to follow the instructions
To accept their share of responsibility for the outcomes of care, treatment, or services if they do not follow the instructions about their care, treatment, or services
To follow the organization’s policies and procedures
To be considerate of the organization’s staff and property, as well as other patients and their property
To meet any financial obligation agreed to with the organization