Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Patient Rights

Respectful, Safe Care

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Be treated with dignity and respect and participate in the development and implementation of your care plan.

Be free from discrimination based on age, race, color, ethnicity (including limited English proficiency and primary language), national origin, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status (including ability to pay or participation in Medicaid, Medicare or Children’s Health Insurance Program), sex (including sex at birth or legal sex), sex characteristics (including intersex traits), pregnancy or related conditions, sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. As a sponsored ministry of the Catholic Church, we provide healthcare services guided by the moral principles described in the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Receive care in a safe setting and be free from all forms of abuse or harassment, including mental, physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Be free from restraints and seclusion of any form used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.

Express your beliefs and cultural practices as long as they do not harm others or violate state, federal or local laws.

Wear personal clothing and other religious articles or symbols as long as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment.

Receive information on how to obtain protective services from state agencies.

Effective Communication

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Have your communication needs addressed.

Have access to free interpreters, translation services, written materials, or other alternative means to assist in effective communication.

Medical Care & Treatment

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Be informed of your rights in advance of receiving or discontinuing care whenever possible.

Make informed decisions regarding your care, including being informed of your health status in order to give consent prior to the start of procedures for treatment, and have the right to refuse care, treatment, and services.

Know the identity and professional status of individuals providing service and know which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for your care.

Receive reasonable continuity of care, when appropriate, and be informed by physicians and other caregivers of available and realistic patient care options when hospital care is no longer appropriate.

You have a right to information that will assist in care after discharge from the hospital.

Request, at your expense, consultation with another doctor.

Be transferred to another facility, if medically necessary and permissible, or when requested, after being given explanation to you of the need for such a transfer, including the risks, benefits, and alternatives to transfer. The institution and the physician to which you are to be transferred must first have accepted you for transfer.

Receive information about the Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care form.

Formulate advance directives, including choosing a patient representative or a healthcare agent to speak on your behalf.

Have practitioners and staff provide care that is consistent with these advance directives, and if ethical issues arise, have the right to access St. Mary’s Ethics Committee.

Privacy/Confidentiality

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Be interviewed and examined in privacy, and to have someone of your own gender be present, if requested, assured privacy during personal hygiene activities.

Have your care and treatment handled confidentially, including the confidentiality of your clinical records.

Have access to the information contained within your medical record and request an amendment to your medical record. If requested, information must be provided within a reasonable time frame.

Visitation Support

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Have a family member or representative and your own physician notified promptly upon admission to the hospital, if requested.

Have a family member, spouse, domestic partner, or friend present for emotional support during the course of your stay.

To designate persons who may or may not visit during your hospital stay.

Ethics Committee Assistance

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Express concerns/grievances about your care. You have the freedom to express your concerns/grievances and to recommend improvements without being subjected to coercion, discrimination, reprisals, or unreasonable interruptions to your care, treatment, or services.

To seek internal review of a concern/grievance, contact St. Mary’s Patient Experience Line at (706) 389-3886.

To seek external review of a concern/grievance, you may contact:

Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Healthcare Facility Regulation, DCH Complaint Intake Unit, Two Peachtree Street, N.W., Suite 31-447, Atlanta, GA 30303-3159 or by telephone (800) 878-6442.

The Joint Commission, Office of Quality and Patient Safety, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, by phone (800) 994-6610, or by online submission at www.jointcommission.org, using the “Report patient safety event” link in the “Connect With Us” section of the home page of the website. The Joint Commission does not address individual billing issues, payment disputes, labor relations issues or individual clinical management of patients.

Pain Management

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Receive assessments and information about pain and pain management. Be provided with information in a manner that you understand.

Participation in Research Studies

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Be informed of, and consent to recording or filming made for purposes other than security or the identification, diagnosis, or treatment of a medical condition.

Refuse or accept participation in any experimental, educational, or research activities involved in your treatment.

Billing & Medical Records

As a patient, you (or your representative) have a right to:

Request and receive an itemized explanation of your total bill for services rendered.

Be informed of charges and receive counseling on the availability of known financial resources for healthcare

Patient Responsibilities

All patients and parents of pediatric or neonate patients have the responsibility to:

Give caregivers accurate and complete information about all matters related to your health, including medications and past or present medical problems.

Ask questions about your care or health status if you do not understand what medical treatments or instructions you receive.

Ask for pain relief when pain first begins, report when pain is not relieved, and discuss your pain management plan and pain relief options with your doctor and nurses.

Follow the treatment plan recommended by the practitioner primarily responsible for your care, and if you refuse, accept the outcome from your decision(s).

Participate in the planning of your care, including discharge plans.

Abide by St. Mary’s policies.

Respect the rights and professional integrity of those providing care.

Be considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel and assist in the control of noise and the number of visitors.

Respect the property of other persons and of St. Mary’s.

Pay for services not covered by a third-party payor at the time the services are rendered.

Keep your scheduled appointments.

Observe St. Mary’s tobacco-free and smoke-free policy.

Take precautions for personal valuables and belongings by either leaving them at home or asking St. Mary’s staff to provide a safe depository during your hospital stay.

St. Mary’s Health Care System Ethics Committee

St. Mary’s Ethics Committee is available to provide consultation on ethical issues such as end-of-life decisions, capacity, and appropriate decision-makers. St. Mary’s Mission Leader, a physician, a chaplain, a nurse, and a social worker/case manager serve on the committee.

Any patient, family member, physician, or colleague may request an Ethics Consultation.

To request an Ethics Consultation, please contact your nurse or call Mission Services at (706) 389-3276.