Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Patient Rights

Southern Regional Medical Center respects and supports your rights as a patient, recognizing that each patient is an individual with unique health care needs. Because of the importance of respecting each patient’s personal dignity, we provide considerate, respectful care focused upon the patient’s individual needs. Southern Regional affirms the patient’s right to make decisions regarding his or her medical care including the decision to discontinue treatment, to the extent permitted by law. While you are a patient in the hospital, your RIGHTS include the following:

1. You have the right to considerate and respectful care.
2. You have the right to be well informed about your illness, possible treatments, and likely outcome and to discuss this information with your doctor. You have the right to know the names and roles of people treating you.
3. You have the right to consent to or to refuse a treatment, as permitted by law, throughout your hospital stay. If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.
4. You have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain. You will receive information about pain and pain relief measures from your care providers in an effort to develop and implement with you a plan for pain relief.
5. You have the right to have an advance directive, such as a living will or durable power of attorney. These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide 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.
6. You have the right to privacy. The hospital, your doctor and others caring for you will protect your privacy as much as possible.
7. You have the right to expect that treatment records are confidential unless you have given permission to release information or reporting is required or permitted by law. When the hospital releases records to others, such as insurers, it emphasizes that the records are confidential.
8. 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 other institution agrees to accept you.
9. 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.
10. You have the right to consent or decline to take part in research affecting your care. If you choose not to take part, you will receive the most effective care the hospital otherwise provides.
11. You have the right to be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
12. You have the right to know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods. You have the right to know about hospital resources, such as patient representatives or ethics committees that can help you resolve problems and answer questions about your hospital stay and care.
13. You have the right to express concerns to Administration or other appropriate persons regarding care and/or delivery of services. The hospital encourages communication of concerns through staff nurse, patient representative, physicians, and patient surveys or patient requests.

Patient Responsibilities

You have RESPONSIBILITIES as a patient. 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.

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 hospital. You are responsible for providing information for insurance and for working with the hospital to arrange payment, when needed.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 choices on your personal health. A hospital serves many purposes. Hospitals 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, this institution works to respect your values and dignity.

You have the right to voice your complaints or suggest changes without any fear of reprisal. We want you to know you have a voice in your care and you should tell us about any problems you have had.

You may ask to speak with someone in charge in the department where you are. This could be a supervisor or a charge nurse. We also have a Risk & Safety Coordinator available in the hospital during normal work hours. (Monday-Friday 8AM – 4:30PM) You can call them by dialing extension #8273 from your patient room or dial 770-991-8273 on an outside line. For after hours, dial zero on the hospital phone and ask to speak with the Administrative Supervisor.

Each state has a toll-free number you may call to make inquiries or complaints. You may also use the below numbers to lodge complaints.