Johns Hopkins Hospital Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

We want to encourage you, as a patient at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, to communicate openly with your health care team, participate in your treatment choices, and promote your own safety by being well informed and actively involved in your care. Because we want you to think of yourself as a partner in your care, we want you to know your rights as well as your responsibilities during your stay at our hospital. We invite you and your family to join us as active members of your care team.

Your Rights

You have the right to receive considerate, respectful and compassionate care regardless of your age, gender, race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disabilities.

You have the right to receive care in a safe environment free from all forms of abuse, neglect or harassment.

You have the right to be called by your proper name and to be told the names of the doctors, nurses and other health care team members involved in your care.

You have the right to have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.

You have the right to be told by your doctor about your diagnosis and possible prognosis, the benefits and risks of treatment, and expected outcome of treatment, including unanticipated outcomes. You have the right to give written informed consent before any non-emergency procedure begins.

You have the right to have your pain assessed and to be involved in decisions about managing your pain.

You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion in any form that is not medically required.

You can expect full consideration of your privacy and confidentiality in care discussions, examinations and treatments. You may ask for a chaperone during any type of examination.

You have the right to access protective and advocacy services in cases of abuse or neglect.

The hospital will provide a list of protective and advocacy resources.

You, and family members or friends with your permission, have the right to participate in decisions about your care, treatment and services provided, including the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. If you leave the hospital against the advice of your doctor, the hospital and doctors will not be responsible for any medical consequences that may occur.

You have the right to agree or refuse to take part in medical research studies. You may at any time withdraw from a study.

You have the right to sign language or foreign language interpreter services. We will provide an interpreter as needed.

You have the right to make an advance directive, appointing someone to make health care decisions for you if you are unable. If you do not have an advance directive, we can provide you with information and help to complete one.

You have the right to be involved in your discharge plan. You can expect to be told in a timely manner of the need for planning your discharge or transfer to another facility or level of care. Before your discharge, you can expect to receive information about follow-up care that you may need.

You have the right to receive detailed information about your hospital and physician charges.

You can expect that all communications and records about your care are confidential, unless disclosure is allowed by law. You have the right to see or get a copy of your medical records and have the information explained, if needed. You may add information to your medical record by contacting the Medical Records Department. Upon request, you have the right to receive a list of who your personal health information was disclosed to.

If reporters or other members of the media ask to talk to you, you have the right to give your consent about their use of recordings or photographs. You have the right to withdraw consent up until a reasonable time before the recording or photograph is used.

If you or a family member needs to discuss an ethical issue related to your care, a member of the Ethics Service is available on beeper at all times. To reach a member, dial 410- 283-6104. After three beeps, enter your phone number and then the pound sign (#). An Ethics Service member will return your call.

You have the right to pastoral and other spiritual services. Chaplains are available to help you directly or to contact your own clergy. You can reach a chaplain at 410-955-5842 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. At other times, please ask your nurse to contact the chaplain on call.

You have the right to voice your concerns about the care you receive. If you have a problem or complaint, you may talk with your doctor, nurse manager or a department manager. You may also contact the Patient Relations Department at 410-955-2273 or e-mail patientrelations@jhmi.edu.

If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to request a review by the following organizations:

Maryland Department of Health & Hygiene
Office of Health Care Quality, Hospital Complaint Unit, Spring Grove Hospital Center
55 Wade Avenue, Bland Bryant Building,
Catonsville, MD 21228
410- 402-8016 or toll free 1-877-402-8218

Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
toll free 1-800-994-6610, or complaint@jointcommission.org

Your Responsibilities

You are expected to provide complete and accurate information, including your full name, address, home telephone number, date of birth, Social Security number, insurance carrier and employer, when it is required.

You should provide the hospital or your doctor with a copy of your advance directive if you have one.

You are expected to provide complete and accurate information about your health and medical history, including present condition, past illnesses, hospital stays, medicines, vitamins, herbal products, and any other matters that pertain to your health, including perceived safety risks.

You are expected to ask questions when you do not understand information or instructions. If you believe you can’t follow through with your treatment plan, you are responsible for telling your doctor. You are responsible for outcomes if you do not follow the care, treatment and services plan.

You are expected to actively participate in your pain management plan and to keep your doctors and nurses informed of the effectiveness of your treatment.

Please leave valuables at home and only bring necessary items for your hospital stay.

You are expected to treat all hospital staff, other patients and visitors with courtesy and respect; abide by all hospital rules and safety regulations; and be mindful of noise levels, privacy and number of visitors.

You are expected to provide complete and accurate information about your health insurance coverage and to pay your bills in a timely manner.

You are expected to keep appointments, be on time for appointments, or to call your health care provider if you cannot keep your appointments.

MY OBSERVATIONS:

After reading many Patient Bill of Rights from various hospitals and finding them unnecessarily dense in language, I wanted to see if I could find one that was plainly written with common everyday wording. I stumbled upon Johns Hopkins. In contrast to other "PBR's" I was able to read this one without having to reread sentences over and over. However, I did not find this information in any other language. Maybe because whoever wrote it thought it was so clear and to the point that they thought even people who don't know english could understand it? Overall, this was the most positive and reassuring PBR in my research.