Patient and Family Rights
Patient and Family Responsibilities
Quality of Care Concerns
Protected Healthcare Information
  Patients' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Patient and Family Rights

Quality Medical and Dental Care. You have the right to quality care and treatment consistent with available resources and generally accepted standards, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or diagnosis.

Pain Alleviation. You have the right to appropriate assessment and effective management of pain by utilizing techniques that will alleviate pain and discomfort to the maximum extent consistent with proven safety and benefits.

Respectful Treatment. You have the right to considerate and respectful care that recognizes your personal values and beliefs in the planned course of your care.

Privacy. You have the right to receive a Notice of Privacy Practices (NOPP) pamphlet upon your first visit. Your rights are detailed below.

Confidentiality. You have the right to confidential treatment of all communications and records. Written permission shall be obtained before medical records are made available to anyone not directly concerned with your care, except as otherwise may be required or permitted by law or military regulations.

Identity. You have the right to know, at all times, the identity, professional status and professional credentials of healthcare personnel, as well as the healthcare provider primarily responsible for your care.

Explanation of Care. You have the right to an explanation concerning your diagnosis, treatment, procedures, and prognosis of illness in terms you can be expected to understand. Age Appropriate Care. You have the right to care that is appropriate to your age and that adequately addresses your special needs.

Informed Consent. You have the right to be advised in non-clinical terms of the information needed to make knowledgeable decisions regarding consents or refusal for treatment. Such information should include significant complications, risks, benefits, and alternative treatments available.

Decision Making. You have the right to participate in decisions regarding your care. You have the right to make decisions regarding treatment, including resolution of conflict, withholding of resuscitative services, and foregoing or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. You have the right to request consult with the Bioethics Review Committee.

Request or refuse treatment. You have the right to request or refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. However, you do not have the right to demand inappropriate or medically unnecessary treatment or services. You have the right to leave Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) even against the advice of physicians, to the extent permitted by law.

Safe Environment. You have the right to care and treatment in a safe and clean environment.

Research Projects. You have the right to be advised if NMCSD proposes to engage in or perform research associated with your care of treatment. You have the right to refuse to participate in any research projects. Care will not be affected by your refusal to participate.

Rules and Regulations. You have the right to be informed of NMCSD’s rules and regulations that apply to your behavior as a patient.

Providing Information. You are responsible for providing complete and accurate information about all matters relating to your health.

Respecting the Rights of Others. You are responsible for being respectful of the property and considerate of the rights of other patients and of NMCSD personnel.

Complying with Treatment Plan. You are responsible for complying with the treatment plan, including follow-up care, recommended by healthcare providers. This includes keeping scheduled appointments or notifying NMCSD when appointments cannot be kept. You also are responsible for letting your healthcare provider know if you do not understand a course of action or what is expected of you.

Returning Medical Records. You are responsible for ensuring that medical records are promptly returned to the medical facility for appropriate filing and maintenance when checked out to you for the purpose of medical appointment or consultation. All medical records documenting care provided by NMCSD are the property of the US Government.

Following NMCSD Rules and Regulations. You are responsible for following the NMCSD’s rules and regulations affecting patient care conduct.

Promoting a safe environment. You are responsible for helping to maintain a safe, clean, and quiet facility by using appropriate receptacles to dispose of waste products and keeping sounds to a minimum.

Reporting Complaints and Compliments. You have the responsibility for helping the Commander, Naval Medical Center provide the best possible care to all beneficiaries. Please take the time to report your recommendations, questions, complaints, or compliments to a Customer Service Representative located in all the clinics and in-patient and out-patient departments or directly to the Patient Relations Department.

Quality of Care Concerns

Naval Medical Center San Diego wants to know if you have a concern or complaint about the safety and quality of care provided at this facility. We encourage you to bring your concerns to our attention. For more information about how to voice a concern, you may contact your Customer Service Representative or the Patient Relations Department at (619) 532-6418, nmcsandiego-pr@med.navy.mil, or www.nmcsd.med.navy.mil.

If this does not lead to resolution, you may contact The Joint Commission with your concerns by contacting The Joint Commission’s Office of Quality Monitoring at complaint@jointcommission.org or www.jointcommission.org.

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical records, request an amendment to your record for corrections, request restrictions regarding disclosure of any part of your protected health information, or request an accounting of disclosures we have made of your protected health information.

We may use and disclose your protected health information to providers to coordinate or manage your health care and any related health care service payments.

Patient Relations Department: (619) 532-6418

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Updated:  20100302