Your Rights & Responsibilities
Click here for a printable copy of East Alabama Health’s Patient Rights and Responsibilities.
East Alabama Health, its physicians, nurses and support staff assure you (the patient) the right:
- To treatment without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, national origin or source of payment, except for fiscal capability;
- To considerate and respectful care;
- To be involved in care planning and treatment, to request treatment, to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of your action;
- To formulate advance directives, e.g., living will, and to have the hospital and doctors who provide care comply with these directives.
- To know the name and function of any person providing treatment to you;
- To obtain complete current information about your care, in terms that can be easily understood. In cases where it is not medically advisable to give you such information, the information will be made available to an appropriate person on your behalf;
- To privacy to the extent consistent with providing adequate medical care to you, including discreet discussion of your case and examination by appropriate health care personnel;
- To receive care in a safe setting and to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment;
- To privacy and confidentiality of all records pertaining to your treatment and to access information contained in your record within a reasonable time frame;
- To be free from any form of restraint that is not medically necessary to improve your well-being;
- To appropriate assessment and management of your pain;
- To examine and receive an explanation of your bill, regardless of the source of payment;
- To request a transfer to another room if another patient or visitor in the room is unreasonably disturbing;
- To consult with additional specialists at your own request and expense;
- To voice grievances and recommend changes in policies and services to EAMC’s staff without fear of reprisal.
- To file unresolved grievances with the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (1-800-760-4550) or with the State Department of Public Health (1-334-206-5123) or The Joint Commission (1-800-994-6610).
Patient's Responsibilities
East Alabama Health requests the cooperation of its patients to ensure individualized, quality patient care. We encourage you to participate in the course of your treatment by making your needs and concerns known to the professionals rendering care and treatment. Before you consent to treatment, be sure to ask any questions you may have about your diagnosis, treatment, or procedure proposed, the risks, if any, and the anticipated outcome. We believe an informed patient is a secure patient.
It is your (the patient's) responsibility:
- To provide the physicians and hospital personnel with accurate information about present symptoms, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters related to your health;
- To follow both the treatment plan recommended by your physician and the hospital’s rules and regulations affecting your care and conduct, including instructions of nurses and other health professionals as they carry out your physician’s orders;
- To accept responsibility for your actions should you refuse treatment or should you choose not to follow your physician’s orders;
- To be considerate of other patients, by observing no-smoking regulations, controlling the noise of television and radios, and observing the visiting hours while limiting the number of your visitors to two at a time;
- To be respectful of the hospital personnel who are dedicated to caring for you;
- To refrain from taking supplies, linens or equipment from East Alabama Health;
- To promptly pay your bills, provide insurance information, and direct any questions you may have about your hospital bill to Patient Accounting.
How to Report a Concern or Complaint
If, during the course of your stay at East Alabama Health, there is a question, concern, grievance or complaint that you or your family wishes to share regarding care, treatment, services, or patient safety, simply speak up and it will be investigated and addressed. You can report the concern, without fear of reprisal, by any of the following ways:
- Call the Complaint Line at 528-3281.
- Speak to a nurse supervisor.
- Call the Bed Capacity Center at 528-4490.
- Go to our website at www.eamc.org.