Rights & Responsibilities

You Have the Right to the Best Care

Patients’ Bill of Rights

As a patient in a hospital in New York State, you have the right, consistent with law, to:

1. Understand and use these rights. If for any reason you do not understand or you need help, the hospital MUST provide assistance, including an interpreter.
   
2. Receive treatment without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, age or source of payment.
3. Receive considerate and respectful care in a clean and safe environment free of unnecessary restraints.
4. Receive emergency care if you need it.
5. Be informed of the name and position of the doctor who will be in charge of your care in the hospital.
6. Know the names, positions and functions of any hospital staff involved in your care and refuse their treatment, examination or observation.
7. Identify a caregiver who will be included in your discharge planning and sharing of post-discharge care information or instruction.
8. Receive complete information about your diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
9. Receive all the information that you need to give informed consent for any proposed procedure or treatment. This information shall include the possible risks and benefits of the procedure or treatment.
10. Receive all the information you need to give informed consent for an order not to resuscitate. You also have the right to designate an individual to give this consent for you if you are too ill to do so. If you would like additional information, please ask for a copy of the pamphlet “Deciding About Health Care — A Guide for Patients and Families.” If you are being discharged, please be sure you have a discharge plan to take home with you.
11. Refuse treatment and be told what effect this may have on your health.
12. Refuse to take part in research. In deciding whether or not to participate, you have the right to a full explanation.
13. Privacy while in the hospital and confidentiality of all information and records regarding your care.
14. Participate in all decisions about your treatment and discharge from the hospital. The hospital must provide you with a written discharge plan and written description of how you can appeal your discharge.
15. Review your medical record without charge and obtain a copy of your medical record for which the hospital can charge a reasonable fee. You cannot be denied a copy solely because you cannot afford to pay.
16. Receive an itemized bill and explanation of all charges.
17. View a list of the hospital’s standard charges for items and services and the health plans the hospital participates with.
18. Challenge an unexpected bill through the Independent Dispute Resolution process.
19. Complain without fear of reprisals about the care and services you are receiving and to have the hospital respond to you, and if you request it, a written response. If you are not satisfied with the hospital’s response, you can complain to the New York State Health Department. The hospital must provide you with the State Health Department telephone number.
20. Authorize those family members and other adults who will be given priority to visit consistent with your ability to receive visitors.
21. Make known your wishes in regard to anatomical gifts. Persons sixteen years of age or older may document their consent to donate their organs, eyes and/or tissues upon their death by enrolling in the NYS Donate Life Registry or by documenting their authorization for organ and/or tissue donation in writing in a number of ways (such as a health care proxy, will, donor card, or other signed paper). The health care proxy form is available from the hospital.
    
    

Public Health Law(PHL)2803 (1)(g)Patient’s Rights, 10NYCRR, 405.7,405.7(a)(1),405.7(c), Department of Health, 2/19

Parent’ Bill of Rights

As a parent, legal guardian or person with decision-making authority for a pediatric patient receiving care in this hospital, you have the right, consistent with the law, to the following:

1. To inform the hospital of the name of your child’s primary care provider, if known, and have this information documented in your child’s medical record.
2. To be assured our hospital will only admit pediatric patients to the extent consistent with our hospital’s ability to provide qualified staff, space and size appropriate equipment necessary for the unique needs of pediatric patients.
3. To allow at least one parent or guardian to remain with your child at all times, to the extent possible given your child’s health and safety needs.
4. That all test results completed during your child’s admission or emergency room visit be reviewed by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner who is familiar with your child’s presenting condition.
5. For your child not to be discharged from our hospital or emergency room until any tests that could reasonably be expected to yield critical value results are reviewed by a physician, physician assistant, and/or nurse practitioner and communicated to you or other decision makers, and your child, if appropriate. Critical value results are results that suggest a life-threatening or otherwise significant condition that requires immediate medical attention.
6. For your child not to be discharged from our hospital or emergency room until you or your child, if appropriate, receives a written dis­charge plan, which will also be verbally communicated to you and your child or other medical decision makers. The written discharge plan will specifically identify any critical results of laboratory or other diagnostic tests ordered during your child’s stay and will identify any oth­er tests that have not yet been concluded.
7. To be provided critical value results and the discharge plan for your child in a manner that reasonably ensures that you, your child (if ap­propriate), or other medical decision makers understand the health information provided in order to make appropriate health decisions.
8. For your child’s primary care provider, if known, to be provided all laboratory results of this hospitalization or emergency room visit.
9. To request information about the diagnosis or possible diagnoses that were considered during this episode of care and complications that could develop as well as information about any contact that was made with your child’s primary care provider.
10. To be provided, upon discharge of your child from the hospital or emergency department, with a phone number that you can call for ad­vice in the event that complications or questions arise concerning your child’s condition.

Public Health Law (PHL) 2803(i)(g) Patients’ Rights 10NYCRR, Section 405.7

• Providing accurate and complete information to your health care providers about your present and past medical conditions and all other matters pertaining to your health.
• Reporting unexpected changes in your condition to your health care providers.
• Informing your health care providers whether or not you understand the plan of care and what is expected of you.
• Following the treatment plan recommended by your health care providers.
• Keeping appointments and, if you cannot, notifying the proper person.
• Knowing the consequences of your own actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow the health care providers’ instructions.
• Being considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel, and to follow hospital policy and regulations regarding care and conduct.

Compliments, Complaints and Concerns

We welcome any patient compliments, complaints or concerns that you may have. If you have a concern, problem or complaint related to any aspect of care during your hospital stay, speaking to your doctor, nurse or hospital staff member is your first level of effective communication. If you feel that you need a further objective view on any matter, please call Quality Management at (718/516) 470-7448 to assist you in resolving your concerns. An individual from Quality Management will be of assistance to resolve your issue. A message can also be sent via email to our Quality Management, indicating the relevant area of concern so that we may respond appropriately. Complete the form on our website.

If you feel we have not been able to address your concerns, you may also call:

• New York State Department of Health: (800) 804-5447
• The Joint Commission, a hospital accreditation organization: (800) 994-6610