We are committed to providing you with the best possible healthcare. You can expect your care to be carried out with respect and concern for your dignity.

As a patient, you have certain rights and responsibilities. We believe that patients who understand and participate in their healthcare achieve better results. Therefore, we encourage you to become an active partner with your healthcare team by being an informed patient and exercising your rights.

Patient Rights

Patient responsibilities

To become an active participant in your medical care, please observe the following hospital regulations and assume the following responsibilities:

• Be considerate to other patients. Be conscious of noise, limit the number of visitors and observe the hospital-wide no smoking regulations.
• Ask questions if anything is unclear to you regarding your illness or treatment so that you can remain fully informed.
• Cooperate with hospital staff by providing the necessary personal and medical history required for your treatment. All information must be accurate to provide care and seek payment for services provided.
• Notify your physician of any changes in your health that may occur. Alldrugs given to you during your stay are part of your specific treatment. It is very important that you NOT take any other drugs without the consent of your physician.
• Notify your doctor of your willingness and ability to follow your particular treatment.
• Participate actively in continuing your care after you leave the hospital. You should be notified when and where to get further treatment and what instructions you should follow at home. If you don't know or are unclear in any way, please ask questions.
• Attend all follow-up appointments. If for some reason you cannot keep an appointment, please notify your physician as soon as possible so a new appointment can be scheduled for you and another patient may have your old appointment.
• Pay your hospital bills in a timely manner. Provide information necessaryto process your health insurance and ask any questions you may have about your bills.

Patient Safety

• Speak Up if you have questions or concerns.
• Pay Attention to the care you are receiving.
• Educate Yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your treatment plan.
• Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
• Know what medications you take and why you take them.
• Use a healthcare organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation of established, state-of-the-art quality and safety standards.
• Participate in all decisions about your treatment.

* Adapted from "Speak Up," Joint Commission on accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Patient Relations Specialist

We care about the quality of services you receive and want your stay toybe pleasant. Our patient relations specialist is available to assist you withyany non-medical questions, concerns or difficulties you may have. Pleaseycall 757-312-6244 or 757-312-6665, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nights, weekends and holidays, please dial "0" and ask for the nursing supervisor.

Medical reconciliation

Patients should bring a current list of medicines they are taking with them to the hospital that includes the name and dosage of each medication. Vitamins, herbal products and any other over-the-counter medicines should also be included. This list should be shared with all your caregivers, including your nurses and physicians, so that they can decide which to continue while you are in the hospital. When you go home, the list will once again be reviewed and a new, updated list of drugs will be provided to you and your doctor. This process is called "medication reconciliation."