Rights & Responsibilities

You Have the Right to the Best Care

You Are Responsible:

• For following the hospital’s rules and regulations.
• For providing, to the best of your ability, accurate and complete details about your past illnesses and present condition. You are responsible for telling your doctor or other hospital personnel whether you have been hospitalized in the past, what for and what medications you are now taking or have with you.
• For telling the doctor if there is a change in your condition or if problems arise in your treatment.
• For telling the doctor or nurse if you do not understand your treatment or if you do not understand what you are expected to do.
• For following the advice and instruction of the doctors, nurses and other hospital personnel concerning your care.
• If you refuse treatment or do not follow instructions.
• For paying your bill promptly and telling the hospital if you cannot pay the bill. If you are not paying your own bill, you are responsible for telling the hospital who will pay it.
• For being courteous to the hospital staff and other patients, and for helping to keep the noise and number of visitors reasonable. You may not damage or remove hospital property or the property of other patients.
• For honoring the checkout time on the day of your discharge from the hospital.
• For complying with Suffolk County law, which prohibits smoking when hospitalized.
  

Patient Rights and Responsibilities:

• You may exercise your right to give the hospital and your physician directions regarding your medical care.
• You may appoint a proxy agent or surrogate to make health care decisions for you prior to your admission or at any time during your stay.
• You have the obligation to provide accurate and complete information in any advance directives and in all other requests for information during your stay.
• You also have the responsibility of understanding the actions/treatments that you will be provided along with understanding what is expected of you as a result of the directions you have given us.
• You have the responsibility of informing your physician of the existence of and content of any advance directive that you have signed. A document provided by the New York State Department of Health titled “Planning in Advance for Your Medical Treatment” provides information about the two primary means of informing both your physician and the hospital of your wishes regarding a directive—a health care proxy statement or a living will. If you have completed either document, please provide a copy to the Admitting Office during the admission process or to your nurse manager once you are on the unit. If you would like information regarding a health care proxy, please contact your nurse manager or the Case Management Department, formerly known as Social Services Department, at (631) 351-2227.
• You are responsible for your personal belongings, including dentures, glasses and hearing aids. Our staff will assist you in protecting against possible loss, but we cannot guarantee their safety unless the items are in our safe.

Hospital Responsibilities

• We must determine the existence of advance directives at the time of your admission. Our admitting personnel will request this information during the admitting process. If you cannot provide the documentation at that time, please notify the Admitting Office or your nurse manager when it is available.
• We must assist you in the development of advance directives if requested. Our Admitting personnel will provide you with a document from the New York State Department of Health titled, “Appointing Your Healthcare Agent.” Should you desire information regarding living wills, please consult your personal attorney. After your admission, our Case Management Department, formerly Social Services Department, will gladly assist you in the development of the advance directive mentioned above. Call (631) 351-2227.
• We must provide all patients or their representatives with information regarding their rights to accept or refuse medical treatment, including operations. Your physician and the hospital staff are responsible for providing you with a clear and concise explanation of the following: your condition, proposed treatment/procedures, alternate treatments/procedures, potential benefits and drawbacks of each, recuperation problems, and the likelihood of success. Consent forms are available that give you the opportunity to accept or refuse medical treatment. Please discuss any questions with your primary physician and/or the nursing staff.
• We must document in your medical record whether or not you have provided us with an advance directive. Your medical record will reflect that you have done so, and a copy will be placed on your chart for review by the hospital staff. It is not considered a requirement for admission to the hospital.
• We also have to ensure that you are not discriminated against in the provision of care or otherwise discriminated against based on whether or not you have executed an advance directive. Advance directives will be considered in decisions to withhold resuscitative services or to initiate life-sustaining treatment. Should you feel that your rights are not being adhered to or have not been satisfactorily addressed, you may raise further questions with Nursing Administration at (631) 351-2310 or Administration at (631) 351-2200. You also have the right to have ethical concerns discussed through the hospital’s Ethics Committee. Please call (631) 351-2310 for further information.

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.”
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 records without charge and to 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, with 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 health department’s 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 16 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)

As a patient of Northwell Health, you have the right to have a patient care environment that is supportive of your relationship with your family, significant other and friends. Patient care is provided in a patient-centered atmosphere that is respectful, supportive and mindful of the important role visitors play in your well-being. This letter will help you understand the different types of people who will provide support during your hospital stay.

You have the right to choose:



• a health care agent
• a support person
• a patient representative

Health Care Agent

A health care agent is an adult who you have chosen to make decisions about your health care when you cannot do so. This person also is known as a health care proxy.

Support Person

A support person may be a family member, friend or other trusted individual who you have chosen to help you make decisions about who should visit you. This person also will provide you with emotional support and comfort to reduce any fear you have during your hospital stay. You may change your support person any time during your hospital stay.

Patient Representative

A patient representative is a person who you have chosen to help you make health care decisions. This person also can carry out your patient rights and participate in your care. The patient representative does not have to be a family member. If you are unable to make decisions, your health care agent takes priority over the patient representative.

Family or Family Member

Family or family member includes anyone who plays an important role in your life. This may include people who are not legally related to you. Members of the family also may include spouses, domestic partners (including same-sex domestic partners), children, siblings, parents and others.

Visitors

A visitor is any person, including, but not limited to, a spouse, domestic partner (including same-sex domestic partner), another family member, a friend or other individuals the patient chooses. We will not stop a person from visiting you based upon his or her legal relationship to you, their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or disability. Your support person can help you with visitation and provide emotional support. You have the right to have visitors at any time throughout your hospital stay, including visits to an Emergency Department, Outpatient or Ambulatory Areas. We may have to limit your visitors based on your health care needs. If this happens, we will explain to you why we had to limit your visitors.

Children as Visitors

Children are welcome to visit. Children under age 16 will need to be supervised by an adult during the visit. Younger children are:

• not restricted by age, but parents are encouraged to keep the visits brief
• expected to stay with the adult who is supervising them, and their behavior should be monitored by a responsible adult to ensure a safe and restful environment for the patient(s)

• Your requested restrictions or limitations.
• If there are infection concerns, such as patient’s risk of infection.
• If you undergo care that requires aseptic technique or if you prefer privacy.
• If your visitors interfere with the care of other patients. This includes the need for rest or privacy.
• An existing court order that restricts contact.
• Visitors who are being disruptive, threatening or violent.
• If you are in a substance abuse/mental health treatment program where there is limited visiting.

If you have any questions, please speak with your nurse manager or call Nursing Administration at (631) 351-2310.

If you have a concern, problem or complaint related to any aspect of care during your visit, please speak first to your doctor, nurse or a staff member. You may also direct concerns to:

• Quality Management: (631) 351-2237
• Nursing Administration: (631) 351-2310
• Hospital Administration: (631) 351-2200

If you believe your concern has not been adequately addressed, you may contact either:

New York State Department
of Health Centralized Hospital
Intake Program
Mailstop: CA/DCS
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237
(800) 804-5447

The Joint Commission

Office of Quality and Patient Safety

One Renaissance Blvd.

Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

File a report online