Patient Rights

EVERY PATIENT SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

• Reasonable access to care
• Receive considerate and respectful care
• Visitors
• Receive equal treatment at all times and under all circumstances
• Refuse to take part in research
• Be advised should the Hospital propose to initiate court proceedings pertaining to your treatment
• Information Concerning: Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis
• Be involved in decisions about care, treatment, and services provided
• Formulate advance directives and appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on his/her behalf to the extent permitted by law

Having the hospital staff and practitioners comply with those directives including withholding resuscitative services, foregoing or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment

• Have a family member or representative of choice and his/her own physician notified promptly of admission to the hospital
• Accept or refuse treatment and be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal
• Make informed decisions regarding care
• Personal respect, privacy, and confidentiality
• Access to information contained in his/her clinical or medical records within a reasonable time frame
• Confidentiality of clinical and medical records
• Social, religious, and psychological well being
• A reasonable response to requests for service including ethical issues
• A qualified interpreter if needed
• Be informed of hospital rules, regulations, and complaint resolution
• Be informed of the reason for transfer to another facility
• Knowledge concerning the professional status of caregivers
• Access protective and advocacy services
• Appropriate assessment and management of pain
• To receive treatment and care in the least restrictive environment
• Receive care in a safe setting and be free from abuse or harassment
• Explanation of his/her hospital bill and access to financial counsel

TRANSLATION SERVICES

Translation Services are available to all CHISLHB patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through Language Service Associates. All CHISLHB team members have access to the language translation service and can assist you. Sign language services are available through a remote video service. St. Luke's Health–Brazosport team members can easily access the video service for you by contacting a House Supervisor.

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES/LIVING WILLS

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to express your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time.  The document allows you to convey your medical wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals without confusion later on.  A living will, is a type of advance directive, and tells how you feel about care when you no longer can communicate your thoughts.  It is your right to accept or refuse medical care.

Directive to Physicians

• A Directive to Physicians, also known as a "living will", allows you your physician not to use artificial methods to prolong the process of dying if you are terminally ill. A Directive does not become effective until you have been diagnosed with a terminal or irreversible condition.
• If you sign a Directive, talk it over with your physician and ask that it be made part of your medical record. If for some reason you become unable to sign a written Directive, you can issue a Directive verbally or by other means of non-written communication, in the presence of your physician.
• If you have not issued a Directive and become unable to communicate after being diagnosed with a terminal or irreversible condition, your attending physician and legal guardian, or certain family members in the absence of a legal guardian, may make decisions concerning withdrawing, withholding, or providing life-sustaining treatment. Your attending physician and another physician not involved in your care can also make decisions to withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment if you do not have a guardian and certain family members are not available.

Medical Power of Attorney

• Another type of Advance Directives is a Medical Power of Attorney, which allows you to designate someone you trust as an agent to make healthcare decisions on your behalf should you become unable to make these decisions.You cannot choose as your agent, your healthcare provider, including a physician, hospital, or nursing home; an employee of your healthcare provider, unless he/she is your relative; your residential care provider, such as a nursing home or hospice; or an employee of your residential care provider, unless he/she is related to you.
• The person you designate has the authority to make healthcare decisions on your behalf only when your attending physician certifies that you lack the capacity to make your own healthcare decisions. Your agent cannot make a healthcare decision if you object, regardless of whether you have the capacity to make the healthcare decision yourself, or whether a Medical Power of Attorney is in effect.
• Your agent must make healthcare decisions after consulting with your attending physician, and according to the agent’s knowledge of your wishes, including your religious and moral beliefs. If your wishes are unknown, your agent must make a decision based on what he/she believes is in your best interest.

Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order

An Out-of-Hospital DNR Order allows you to refuse certain life-sustaining treatments in any setting outside the hospital. This advance directive must be issued in conjunction with your attending physician. If you need additional information, please contact your healthcare provider or Health Information Management at (979) 285-1110.

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICE

In order to provide healthcare services, St. Luke's Health Brazosport must obtain and maintain medical information on you, the patient. The Notice of Privacy Practice describes the types of information that are collected and your rights regarding the information. If a Notice of Privacy Practice brochure has not been provided to you, please contact the Outpatient Registration Department. To access the Notice of Privacy Practice, please click here.  St. Luke's Health Brazosport’s Privacy Officer can be reached at (979) 285-1112.