Patient Bill of Rights & Responsibilities

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The staff of Prince William Hospital is dedicated to serving your needs and providing for your care and comfort. We want you to know that you have certain rights and responsibilities as a patient.

We want you to have the best possible care as prescribed or recommended by those treating you. We also want you to know what your rights are as a patient, as well as what your obligations are to yourself, your physician and the hospital

As a patient, you have the right to:

• Exercise his or her rights without being subject to discrimination or reprisal.
• Respectful care given by competent workers.
• Know the names and the jobs of his or her care givers.
• Privacy and access of medical information as described in the hospital’s Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Privacy with regard to his or her medical condition. A patient’s care and treatment will be discussed only with those who need to know.
• Have his or her medical records treated as confidential and read only by people with a need to know. Information about a patient only will be released with permission from the patient or if permitted by law.
• Have a family member or representative and his or her doctor notified promptly of his or her admission to the hospital.
• Make decisions regarding his or her care and has the right to include family members in those decisions.
• Give or withhold informed consent. The patient has the right to receive information from his or her doctor in order to make informed decisions about his or her care. This means that patients will be given information about their diagnosis, prognosis and different treatment choices. This information will be given in terms that the patient can understand. This may not be possible in an emergency.
• Give or withhold informed consent to produce or use recordings, films or other images of the patient for purposes other than his or her care.
• Be informed about the outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes.
• Participate in the development and implementation of his or her plan of care.
• Full information about any research studies, investigations or clinical trials in which he or she has been given the option to participate. A patient may refuse to participate in any research program. A patient who chooses to participate has the right to stop at any time. Any refusal to participate in a research program will not affect the patient’s access to care.
• Refuse any drugs, treatment or procedures, to the extent permitted by law, after hearing the medical consequences of refusing the drug, treatment or procedure.
• Have his or her cultural and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected.
• Be given information in a manner that he or she can understand. A patient who does not speak English or is hearing or speech impaired has the right to an interpreter, when possible, at no cost to the patient.
• Upon request, to access to all information contained in the patient’s medical records within a reasonable timeframe. This right may be restricted as allowed by law.
• Have information in the medical record explained to him or her.
• Be transferred to another facility only after care and arrangements have been made and the patient has been given complete information about the hospital’s obligations under law.
• A copy of his or her bills. Upon a patient’s written request for an itemized statement of any medical services received, the hospital shall provide such itemized statement within 30 days. Upon request, a written summary of hospital charge rates per service sufficient and timely enough to allow the patient to compare charges and make cost-effective decisions in the purchase of hospital services.
• Written information about the hospital’s charity care policies, including policies related to free and discount care.
• Access people or agencies to act on the patient’s behalf or to protect the patient’s rights under law.
• Be informed of his or her rights at the earliest possible time in the course of his or her treatment.
• Make advance directives (such as a living will or health care power of attorney) and to have those directives followed to the extent permitted by law.
• Personal privacy.
• Receive care in a safe setting.
• An environment that preserves dignity and contributes to a positive self-image.
• Be free from all forms of abuse or harassment, including neglect and exploitation.
• Be free from the use of seclusion or restraint, of any form, as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff. Restraints and seclusion may only be used to protect the immediate safety of the patient or others. They must be removed or ended at the earliest possible time. Patients have the right to safe implementation of restraints or seclusion by trained staff.
• Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
• See visitors of his or her choice. This includes the right to designate visitors who shall receive the same visitation privileges as the patient’s immediate family members, regardless of whether the visitors are legally related to the patient.
• Pastoral care and other spiritual services.
• Have his or her complaints or grievances about care resolved promptly.

If you choose, you may contact the following agencies regarding complaints or grievances:

Office of Licensure and Certification, Virginia Department of Health, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 401, Richmond, VA 23233, or call (800) 955-1819; or Office of the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman or The Joint Commission.

• The family/guardian of a child or adolescent patient has the right and responsibility to be involved in decisions about the care of the child. A child or adolescent has the right to have his or her wishes considered in the decision making as limited by law.
• A child or adolescent patient has the right to expect that care and the physical environment will be appropriate to his or her age, size and needs.
• A child or adolescent patient whose treatment requires a long absence from school has the right to educational services. These services will be arranged with the local school system.

Patients are responsible for:

• Providing correct and complete information about their health and past medical history.
• Reporting changes in their general health condition, symptoms or allergies to the responsible care giver.
• Asking questions and reporting if they do not understand the planned treatment or their part in the plan.
• Following the recommended treatment plan they have agreed to, including instructions from nurses and other health personnel.
• Keeping appointments.
• Treating others with respect.
• Following facility rules regarding smoking, noise and use of electrical equipment.
• Consequences of refusing planned treatments.
• Paying for their care.
• Respecting the property and rights of others.
• Assisting in the control of noise and the number of visitors in their rooms.
• Providing a copy of their advance directive and notifying the doctor or nurse if they change their advance directive.
• Communicating with staff regarding pain management.
• Sending their valuables home or asking staff for help in securing their valuables.