Patient Bill of Rights
The Chickasaw Nation, using a Bill of Rights developed by the American Hospital Association as a
model, presents a Patient’s Bill of Rights with the expectation that observance of these rights will contribute to more effective patient care and greater satisfaction for the patient, their providers, and the health system. It is the policy of the Chickasaw Nation to endeavor to assure for all of its patients, including infants and children, the preservation of basic human rights and the provision of one standard of medical care regardless of age, race, physical or mental disability, creed, sex, national origin, religion or source of payment of care. Further the Chickasaw Nation presents these rights with the expectation that they will be supported by the entire health system on behalf of its patients as an integral part of the healing process. It is recognized that a personal relationship between the physician and the patient is essential for the provision of proper medical care. The traditional patient relationship takes on a new dimension when care is rendered within an organizational structure. Legal precedent has established that the health system itself also has a responsibility to the patient. It is in recognition of these factors that these rights are affirmed.
1. The patient has the right to health care that is considerate, respectful, and sensitive to his or her culture and beliefs.
1.1 The patient has the right to express spiritual beliefs and cultural practices that does not harm others or interfere with his or her planned course of medical therapy.
2. The patient has the right to comfort and dignity by receiving appropriate treatment for primary and secondary symptoms and management of acute pain, as desired by the patient or surrogate decision maker, responding to the psychophysiology, emotional and spiritual concerns of the patient and family.
2.1 The patient has the right to formulate advance directives to appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on his or her behalf to the extent permitted by law.
3. The patient has the right, in collaboration with his or her primary health provider, to make decisions involving his or her health care. The patient has the right to informed consent approval to have procedures and/or treatments performed.
3.1 The primary health provider will provide all information necessary for the patient to make a decision as to whether the procedure or treatment is acceptable, including an explanation of the risks involved, whether or not any incapacity for normal living will result or if there are alternative types of treatment.
4. The patient has the right to accept medical care or to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal.
4.1 The patient, at his or her own expense, has the right to consult with a private physician, for a second opinion.
5. The patient has the right to every consideration of their privacy concerning his or her own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. Those not directly involved in a patient’s care must have the permission of the patient in order to be present in such proceedings.
5.1 The patient or an appropriate family member has the right to receive all information from the primary health provider concerning health care.
5.2 The patient has the right to request medical records information and receive copies.
6. The patient has the right of access to people outside the health system, such as visitors, verbal and written communications. An interpreter should be available for any patient who does not speak nor understand English.
7. The patient has the right to expect reasonable safety insofar as the health system practices and environment are concerned.
8. The patient has the right to know the names and qualifications of the persons who will be responsible for his or her treatment.
9. The patient has the right to expect that within its capacity that the health system must make a reasonable response to the request of the patient for services.
9.1 The health system must provide evaluation, service or referral as indicated by the urgency of the case.
9.2 When medically permissible, a patient may be transferred to another facility, only after he or she has received complete information and explanation concerning the needs for and alternatives to such a transfer. Such transfers shall occur only on order of the physician. The facility to which the patient is being transferred must have accepted the patient for transfer.
10. The patient has the right to expect continuity of care, including provisions for managing the physical, educational and social development of child and adolescent patients. Patients have the right to expect that the hospital will provide a mechanism whereby they are informed of the patient’s continuing health care requirements following discharge.
11. The patient has the right to know which health system rules and regulations apply to their conduct as a patient.
12. The patient has the right to be advised if the health system proposes to engage in and/or perform human experimentation affecting their care or treatment. The patient has the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.
13. All patients and families have the right to register complaints without fear of comprising the quality of care received.
13.1 Resolution of complaints is attempted at the lowest management level possible.
13.2 If a patient or family is not satisfied with the response or action taken concerning a complaint, they may appeal the response or action.
13.3 When a patient or family feels that a complaint regarding patient care and safety has been left unaddressed by the organization or cannot be resolved through the organization’s management and leadership, they are encouraged to contact the Joint Commission:
• Phone: 1-800-994-6610 or 630-792-5636.
• E-mail: complaint@jointcommission.org.
• On-line: www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Complaint.
• Mail: Office of Quality Monitoring; The Joint Commission; One Renaissance Blvd., Oakbrook, Terrace, IL 60181
If an unresolved complaint involves services acquired through a state entity, the patient or family is encouraged to contact:
• SoonerCare Customer Service: 1-800-522-0310
• Medicare: 1-800-633-4227 www.medicare.gov
14. Patients have the right to examine and receive an explanation of their bill for services rendered in the hospital regardless of source of payment.
15. Patients have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion of any form used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation.
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