Your Rights & Responsibilities
Whenever possible, we will inform you of your rights before furnishing or discontinuing your care. These rights apply to your representative in the event you are unable to exercise them.
A hospital serves many purposes. Hospitals work to improve people’s health; treat people with injury and disease; educate doctors, health professionals, patients and community members; and improve understanding of health and disease. In carrying out these activities, Lexington Medical Center works to respect your values and dignity.
Lexington Medical Center may make reasonable, clinically necessary restrictions or limitations to visitation rights.
Patient Rights
- You have the right to considerate and respectful care in a safe setting.
- You have the right to know the name and title of your caregivers at all times.
- You have the right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
- You have the right to be well-informed about your illness, possible treatments, and likely and unforeseen outcomes, and to discuss this information with your doctor.
- You have the right to appeal premature discharge.
- You have the right to receive information in a manner that is understandable by you.
- You have the right to consent to or refuse any treatment, as permitted by law. If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.
- You have the right to have your pain assessed and managed appropriately.
- You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion of any form that are not medically necessary.
- You have the right to receive compassionate care that respects your personal, spiritual, cultural and religious values and beliefs.
- You have the right to have the hospital promptly notify a family member or representative and your physician of your admission to the hospital.
- You have the right to have an advance directive, such as a living will or health care proxy. These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have a written advance directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your family and your doctor. You can receive information on or formulate an advance directive by calling the Guest Services Department at Lexington Medical Center at (803) 791-2342.
- You have the right to privacy. The hospital, your doctor and others caring for you will protect your privacy as much as possible.
- You have the right to expect that treatment records are confidential unless you have given permission to release information or reporting is required or permitted by law. When the hospital releases records to others, such as insurers, it emphasizes that the records are confidential.
- You have the right to review your medical records and to have the information explained, except when restricted by law.
- You have the right to expect that the hospital will give you necessary health services to the best of its ability. Treatment, referral or transfer may be recommended. If transfer is recommended or requested, you will be informed of risks, benefits and alternatives.
- You have the right to know if this hospital has relationships with outside parties that may influence your treatment and care. These relationships may be with educational institutions, other healthcare facilities or providers.
- You have the right to consent or decline to take part in research affecting your care. If you choose not to take part, you will receive the most effective care the hospital otherwise provides.
- You have the right to be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
- You have the right to know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment, and about charges and payment methods.
- You have the right to review your bill, have the information explained to you and get a copy of the bill.
- You have the right to designate visitors who shall receive the same visitation privileges as your immediate family member, regardless of whether the visitors are legally related to you.
- You have the right to know about hospital resources such as patient complaints and grievance processes, patient representatives or ethics committees that can help you promptly resolve problems and questions about your hospital stay and care.
- You have the right to lodge a grievance by calling the ActionLine at (803) 791-2342, visiting Guest Services, emailing actionline@lexhealth.org or contacting the appropriate state agency directly, regardless of whether you first use our grievance process. You may call the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control at 1-800-922-6735 or write them at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201.
Patient Responsibilities
- You are responsible for providing information about your health, including past illnesses, hospital stays and use of medicine.
- You are responsible for asking questions when you do not understand information or instructions.
- If you believe you can’t follow through with your treatment, you are responsible for telling your doctor.
- Lexington Medical Center works to provide care efficiently and fairly to all patients and the community. You and your visitors are responsible for being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff and the hospital.
- You are responsible for providing information for insurance and for working with the hospital to arrange payment, when needed.
- Your health depends not just on your hospital care but, in the long term, on the decisions you make in your daily life. You are responsible for recognizing the effect of lifestyle on your personal health.
Based on “A Patient’s Bill of Rights” with permission of the American Hospital Association, copyright 1992.
