As an active member of your health care team and our most important partner, we want you to be aware of your rights—as well as your responsibilities—during your stay.
Patient Rights—as a patient, you have the right to:
Respect and Dignity
- Receive safe, high-quality medical care regardless of race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or source of payment.
- Receive medical care that is considerate and respects your personal dignity, values, and beliefs.
- Have an interpreter help you understand important information about your care in a manner that meets your needs in the event of vision, speech, or hearing impairment.
Decisions and Information
- Receive information that you and/or your legal representative can understand in a clear and complete way.
- Be informed about your health condition, treatment options, and both expected and unexpected outcomes.
- Have a person of your choice and your doctor told promptly of your admission to the hospital.
- Be involved in planning your care while you are in the hospital and after you leave.
- Request, accept, or refuse treatments as allowed by BJC policies and the law. Your care provider will explain the medical consequences of refusing recommended treatment.
- Know the names and duties of the health care team members caring for you and any professional relationships between BJC HealthCare and other health care providers or educational institutions involved in providing your care.
- Understand what to expect about pain and participate in planning how pain will be managed to best address your condition.
- Receive information needed to make an informed decision to participate in a research study or to decline.
- Receive a complete explanation if you need to be transferred to another facility or organization, including alternatives to the transfer.
- Receive information about ongoing health care needs at the end of your visit.
Privacy and Confidentiality
- Personal privacy including private discussions about your condition or treatment.
- Refuse to talk with or see anyone not directly involved in your care, including visitors.
- Have an individual of the same gender present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment, or procedure as requested.
- Request and review your medical records and request amendments when necessary.
- Have your medical records kept private and only shared with your health care team and those who can legally read them.
Safety
- Receive quality care in a safe setting and be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, and harassment.
- Be free from restraints or seclusion unless required to keep you or others safe. Restraints will never be used as a means of intimidation, punishment, convenience, or retaliation by staff.
Advance Directive
- Receive information concerning advance directives (living will, health care power of attorney, or mental health advance directives) or to create an advance directive and have it followed to the extent allowed by BJC policies and the law.
- Have end-of-life issues related to care addressed with dignity and sensitivity and participate in any discussion concerning any ethical issues arising from your care.
Patient Designation of Visitors
- Designate who you wish and do not wish to visit you, and you can change your mind at any time. If you cannot speak for yourself, a support person or your representative/guardian may decide for you.
- Hospital visitation will not be limited or denied based on race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or source of payment.
- In balancing all aspects of care for our patients, it may be necessary to limit or restrict your visitors for various reasons, such as when there is a risk of infection or contagious disease; for safety concerns related to other patients, visitors, or those working in the facility; or to establish hours of visitation for specific patient care units, including limits on the number of visitors or on the ages of child visitors. We will strive to explain the reason(s) to you if these restrictions are needed.
Concerns
- Voice concerns about the care you receive. Please share your concerns with your provider or nurse. If you are unable to resolve it with your doctor or nurse, you may call the hospital complaints/grievance number below:
Alton Memorial Hospital 618-607-3134
Barnes-Jewish Hospital 314-362-6100
Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital 636-916-9000
Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital 314-996-8501
Christian Hospital/Northwest HealthCare 314-653-5886
Memorial Hospitals 618-607-3134
Missouri Baptist Medical Center 314-996-4004
Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital 573-468-1182
Parkland Health Center 573-760-8182
Progress West Hospital 636-344-1000
St. Louis Children’s Hospital 314-273-8693
- You may also send us your complaint in writing or share your concerns with the following organizations:
‒ For Missouri hospitals:
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
912 Wildwood Drive
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
800-392-0210
https://health.mo.gov/safety/healthservregs/ complaints.php
Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services
925 S. Country Club Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65102
800-392-8667
‒ For all hospitals except Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital:
Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring
1 Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
800-994-6610
E-mail: [email protected]
‒ For Illinois hospitals:
Illinois Department of Public Health
525 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62761
800-252-4343
Patient Responsibilities—as a patient, you have the responsibility to:
- Provide the care team with as much information as possible about your health and medical history, including sharing any important documents, such as an advance directive.
- Choose a person to speak for you in the event you are unable to speak for yourself.
- Speak up if you feel at risk for harm.
- Ask questions if you do not understand information given to you.
- Work with the health care team to develop a plan of care that you are able and willing to follow, as well as a plan for the care you will need after hospitalization.
- Understand that you are responsible for your own decisions if you refuse treatment or do not follow the health care team’s instructions concerning the treatment plan.
- Respect hospital property and follow hospital rules, including the BJC Patient and Visitor Code of Conduct.
- Help keep the hospital a safe place, free of drugs, alcohol, and weapons.
- Be considerate of your fellow patients and of our staff. Maintaining a quiet, orderly atmosphere is an important part of the care our patients need.
- Provide complete insurance and other financial information that relates to payment for your care.
- Talk with your nurse before taking any photos or videos.