Howard County General Hospital

Provision of Care

• You have the right to receive considerate, respectful and compassionate care in a safe setting regardless of your age, gender, race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities, diagnosis, ability to pay or source of payment.
• You have the right to be addressed 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 informed by your doctor about your diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the benefits and risks of each treatment, expected outcome and options. You have the right to give written informed consent before any non-emergency procedure or treatment begins.
• You have the right to be informed about outcomes of care, treatment and services provided, including unanticipated outcomes.
• You have the right to be informed about pain and pain relief measures and to actively participate in your pain management plan.
• You can expect full consideration of your privacy and confidentiality in care discussions, examinations and treatments. The presence of a chaperone during any type of examination may be requested.

Provision of information

• You have the right to sign language or foreign language interpreter services. We will provide an interpreter as needed.
• You have the right to be involved in your discharge plan and can expect to receive information about the follow-up care you will need after your discharge.
• You can expect that all communications and records pertaining to your care are confidential, unless disclosure is permitted by law. You have the right to review or obtain a copy of your medical records and receive an accounting of disclosures regarding your health information within a reasonable timeframe. You may also request to amend your medical record by contacting the Health Information Management Department.
• You have the right to receive detailed information about your hospital and physician charges.

Personal rights

• You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion in any form that is not medically required.
• You have the right to be free from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
• You have the right to access protective and advocacy services. The hospital will provide a list of state protection and advocacy groups upon request.

Refusal of Treatment

• You and your family, as appropriate, have the right to actively participate in decisions regarding your care, treatment and services provided, including the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be advised of the medical consequences of your refusal. If you choose to 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 to, or to refuse to, take part in medical research studies. You may at any time withdraw from a study and it will not affect your usual medical care.

Advance Directives

• You have the right to make an advance directive, such as a living will, and appoint 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 assistance to complete one. You have the option to review and revise advance directives.

Concerns or complaints

• You have the right to voice your concerns about the care or services 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 Quality & Patient Safety Department to assist you with your concerns by calling 410-740-7912 or by writing to Quality & Patient Safety Department, Howard County General Hospital, 5755 Cedar Lane, Columbia, Maryland 21044
• If your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to request a review by the Maryland Department of Health & Hygiene, Office of Health Care Quality, Hospital Complaint Unit, Spring Grove Hospital Center, Bland Bryant Building, Catonsville, Maryland 21228, 410-402-8016.
• When an individual has concerns about patient care and safety in Howard County General Hospital that hospital management has not addressed, he or she is encouraged to contact the Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring to report those concerns or register complaints by either calling 1-800-994-6610 or emailing complaint@jcaho.org.

Support

• Following discussion with your health care team, if you need to discuss an ethical issue related to your care, a member of the Ethics Service is available at all times. The Ethics Service can be contacted through members of the health care team.
• Chaplains are available to assist you with your religious and spiritual needs or to contact your own clergy. A chaplain can be reached at 410-740-7898.