The Board of Trustees of Ingham Regional Medical Center has developed and adopted a set of rights and responsibilities of patients. The patient’s rights and responsibilities are posted at several places throughout Ingham’s facilities.

We hope this summary is helpful in outlining the various rights and responsibilities with regard to you. But more importantly, we hope you do not need to rely upon these words, but rather upon the excellence of our care in the service of the most important person here – you.

As a patient, you have the following rights:

• You will not be denied care on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity-national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, handicap, HIV status, marital status, education, or source of payment.
• You have a right to receive a reasonable response to requests and needs for treatment or service.

• You have the right to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care and actively participate in decisions regarding your medical care. To the extent permitted by law, this includes the right to request and/or refuse treatment.
• Before a procedure or treatment is carried out, you have the right to receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as needed to give informed consent or to refuse a course of treatment. Except in emergencies, this information will include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved in the treatment, alternative course of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each, and to know the name of the person who will carry out the procedure or treatment.
• You have the right to access protective and advocacy services, including financial counseling, or have these services accessed on your behalf.
• You have the right to leave the hospital even against the advice of your physician.
• You have the right to have an appropriate assessment and management of pain, and to receive education related to your pain and pain control measures.

• You have the right to receive information from the physician about your illness, course of treatment, outcomes of care (including unanticipated outcomes), and your prospects for recovery.
• You have the right to receive information in a manner that you can understand. Communications with you will be effective and provided in a manner that facilitates understanding by you. Written information provided will be appropriate to your age, understanding, and as appropriate, language. Communications specific to the vision, speech, hearing, cognitive, and language-impaired patient will be appropriate to the impairment.
• You are entitled to information about the hospital’s rules and regulations that affect patient care and conduct.
• You have the right to be informed of the relationships between Ingham Regional Medical Center and other persons and organizations that may be participating in the provision of your care (such as home care agencies).
• You are entitled to inspect, or receive for a reasonable fee, a copy of his or her medical record upon request within a reasonable time frame.
• You have the right to advisory consultation from the Hospital’s Ethics Committee.
• Your family has the right of informed consent of donation of organs and tissues.

• You have the right to have your own physician and family member or representative of your choice notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
• Your access to communication, mail and telephone calls shall not be restricted unless clinically indicated or specifically requested by you.

• You have the right to remain free from seclusion or restraints of any form that are not medically necessary or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.
• You have the right to receive care in a safe environment.
• You have the right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.

• You are entitled to your personal dignity; including the right to privacy during personal hygiene activities and during treatment.
• You are entitled to full consideration of privacy concerning your medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. You have the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual involved in your healthcare.
• You have the right to confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to your care and hospital stay. Written permission will be obtained before medical records can be made available to anyone not directly involved with your care.
• You have the right to access, request amendment to, and receive an accounting of disclosures regarding your health information as permitted under applicable law.
• You are entitled to associate and have private conversations with your physician, attorney, or any other person of your choice.

• You have the right to formulate Advance Medical Directives and appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on your behalf to the extent permitted by law.
• You have the right to have a family member or representative of your choice participate in your care as appropriate and allowed by law.
• You have the right to have all patient’s rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on your behalf.
• You have the right to expect that hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with your directives.

• If your physician feels that you should be transferred to another facility, you have the right to receive complete information and explanation from the physician concerning the need for, or alternatives to, such a transfer.
• You have the right to have reasonable continuity of care.
• You have the right to be informed by your physician or a delegate of your physician of the continuing healthcare requirements following your discharge from the hospital.

• You have a right to have your own cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected.
• You have the right to request pastoral and or other spiritual care, which shall be respected and accommodated, as appropriate.

• You are entitled to information concerning any experimental procedure proposed as a part of your care and shall have the right to refuse to participate in the experiment without jeopardizing your access to services or continuing care.

• You are entitled to receive and examine an explanation of your bill regardless of the source of payment.
• You have the right to be fully informed, prior to or at the time of admission, and during stay, of services available in the facility, and of related charges including any charges for services not covered by the Social Security Act or by the facility’s basic per diem rate.

In addition to your rights, you have a responsibility to take, within your capacity, a role in your care.

• You are responsible for following the hospital’s rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
• You are responsible for providing a complete and accurate medical history.
• You are responsible for making it known whether you clearly understand the plan of care and asking questions and following instructions.
• You are responsible for following the recommendations and advice prescribed in a course of treatment by your physician.
• You are responsible for providing information about unexpected complications that arise in an expected course of treatment.
• You are responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients or residents and hospital staff and property.
• You are responsible for providing the hospital with accurate and timely information concerning your sources of payment and ability to meet financial obligations.
• You are responsible to provide prompt payments for services billed that are not covered by insurance, or to make proper arrangements regarding outstanding balance.
• You and/or your advocate will be an active participant in the decision-making process relating to your care through information/education received by the professional staff.
• You are responsible for keeping appointments and notifying the hospital or physician when you are unable to do so.
• You are responsible for your actions should you refuse treatment or not follow your physician’s orders.

It is the goal of the administration and staff of the medical center that you have a pleasant hospital stay and that we meet your needs and expectations. In the event that you are not satisfied with your care or the service you receive, please speak with your nurse or ask to speak with the manager of the floor or department where you are receiving care. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, please contact the Quality Improvement Department at (517) 975-8506. If you are not satisfied with the results of the complaint investigation and resolution you should notify the Quality Improvement Department to file a formal grievance.

In addition to the organization’s complaint process, any person may file a complaint about a health facility with the Michigan Department of Community Health or the either agency in writing or verbally to obtain further information regarding this process. Written complaints may be submitted to:

Michigan Department of Community Health
Bureau of Health Systems
Division of Operations, Complaint Investigation Unit
P.O. Box 30664
Lansing, MI 48909

You may call 1-800-882-6006 for additional information.