Williamson Hospital

Your Rights/Responsibilities

Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.

Williamson Memorial strives to provide comprehensive, quality healthcare in a spirit of personal caring, safety and concern. We believe that you are entitled to specific rights and you may have the responsibility to make decisions regarding your healthcare.

You have the right to considerate and respectful care.

You have the right to obtain from your physician complete, current information concerning your diagnosis and prognosis in terms that you can reasonably understand. When it’s not medical advisable to give such information to you, it should be made available to an appropriate person on your behalf. You have the right to know the name of the physician responsible for coordinating your care.

You have the right to receive from your physician information necessary to give informed consent before any procedure and/or treatment is started. Except in emergencies, this information should include but not limited to the procedure and/or treatment, the risks involved and the predicted length of incapacitation. Where medically significant alternative measures for care or treatment exist, or when you request information about medical alternatives, you have the right to such information. You also have the right to know the name of the person responsible for these procedures.

You have the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed to the medical consequences of your actions.

You have the right to every consideration of your privacy concerning your medical care. Case consultations, examinations and treatments are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. Those not directly involved in your care must have your permission to be present.

You have the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to your care will be treated confidentially.

You have the right to expect that, within its capacity, Williamson Memorial must make a reasonable response to your request for services. The hospital must provide evaluation, service and referral as indicated by the urgency of your case. When medically permissible, you may be transferred to another facility only after that hospital has received complete information and an explanation about the need for, and alternatives to, the transfer. The institution to which you are being transferred must first have accepted the transfer.

You have the right to obtain information about any relationship of your hospital to other health care institutions insofar as your care is concerned. You have the right to obtain information about the existence of professional relationships among individuals, by name, who are treating you.

You have the right to be advised if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting care or treatment. You have the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.

You have the right to expect reasonable continuity of care. You have the right to know in advance what appointment times physicians are available and where. You have the right to expect that the hospital will provide a way for your physician or a representative of your physician to inform you about continuing health care requirement discharged from the hospital.

You have the right to examine and receive an explanation of your bills regardless of the source of payment.

You have the right to know what hospital rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient.

You have the right to expect that the hospital staff will reasonable respond to your need for comfort and pain relief.

You have the right to receive impartial access to treatment. Treatment will be provided to our patients without respect to sex, cultural or economic background.

You have the right to have your cultural and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected.

You have the right to have visitors chosen by you.

You have the right to access information contained in your medical record within a reasonable time frame, including access to disclosures of protected health information in accordance with law and regulations.

You have the right to be advised of the hospital grievance process, should you wish to communicate a concern regarding the quality of care you receive or if you feel your determined discharge date is premature.

You have the right to be informed by your physician or his or her delegate of the continuing healthcare requirements following your discharge from the hospital.

You have the right to receive a response to any reasonable request for service.

You have the right to be informed that a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals provide patient and family education programs.

You have the right to have all of your patient’s rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on your behalf.

You have the right to have a family member of our choice and your own physician notified of your admission to the hospital.

You have the right to voice a complaint and recommend changes freely without fear of being subjected to coercion, discrimination, reprisal or unreasonable interruption of care. If you have a problem or complaint, you may share it with your doctors, nurse, or nurse manager.

You and your family and/or support network also have the right to voice a complaint with the following organizations:

Williamson Memorial- Nursing Supervisor: (304) 235- 2500 Ext 4401 (call for immediate assistance)

Williamson Memorial- Administration: (304) 235- 2500 Ext 4430

Online- [email protected]

Safety/Compliance Helpline: 1- (800) 928-0084

Online- report.complyline.com

You may file a written complaint or grievance with the hospital:

Williamson Memorial Hospital – Attention Patient Advocate
859 Alderson Street
Williamson, WV 25661

You always have the right to file your complaint with the West Virginia Office of Health Facilities Licensure and Certification at: (304) 558-0050

Attention: Medicare/Hospital Program- Complaint
Office of Health Facility Licensure & Certification
408 Leon Sullivan Way
Charleston, WV 25301-1713