Patient Rights and Responsibilities

It is your right as a New England Rehabilitation Hospital Inpatient or Outpatient:

1. To receive care without regard to your race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, ability or disability, or lifestyle.
    
   
2. To request and receive medically appropriate treatment and services as recommended by your physician and that is within the organization's capacity and its mission.
    
   
3. To request and receive respectful, quality care that reflects your individual cultural, spiritual and social values, and is consistent with sound nursing and medical practices. To receive care which promotes your dignity, privacy, safety, and comfort.
    
   
4. To expect aggressive pain management that includes information about pain and pain relief measures, concerned staff who are committed to pain prevention and management, and who are also responsive to your report of pain.
    
   
5. To be free from restraints or seclusion unless it is the only means which protects your safety.
    
   
6. To expect that efforts will be made to provide continuous, coordinated, and appropriate care during and after your hospitalization.
    
   
7. To be informed of the nature of your illness and treatment options, including potential risks, benefits, alternatives and costs, and to participate in your health care decisions.
    
   
8. To expect that all staff will communicate with you in a manner you can understand.
    
   
9. To accept or refuse recommended tests or treatments and to be informed of the medical consequences of your choices.
    
   
10. To complete advance directives (living will or power of attorney for healthcare), and to expect that these directives will be followed when applicable. If you have no advance directive, you can expect that appropriate surrogate decision-makers will be sought if you lack decision-making ability.
     
    
11. To receive information about and access to protective and advocacy services when they are an appropriate option.
     
    
12. To raise ethical issues concerning your care with your caregivers and / or with the Ethics Committee, and to participate in the resolution of those issues.
     
    
13. To have reasonable access to visitors and unrestricted communication by mail and telephone unless you have been informed that there are medical or institutional reasons to restrict such access.
     
    
14. To be informed of any proposed research of experimental treatment that may be considered in your care, and to consent or refuse to participate.
     
    
15. To be assured that your medical and personal information will be handled in a confidential manner.
     
    
16. To express complaints or grievances about the quality of care or services and to voice them without fear of reprisal or discrimination and to receive prompt and courteous response to your concerns.
     
    
17. To have access to your medical records within a reasonable time of your request.
     
    
18. To request and receive information regarding the charges for any treatment and to receive an explanation of your bill upon request.

It is your responsibility as a New England Rehabilitation Hospital Patient:

1. To provide all personal and family health information needed to provide you with appropriate care.
    
   
2. To participate to the best of your ability in making decisions about your medical treatment, and to comply with the agreed upon plan of care.
    
   
3. To ask questions of your caregivers when you do not understand any information or instructions.
    
   
4. To inform your caregivers of any Advance Directives that you may have or if you wish to revoke them.
    
   
5. To inform your physician if you desire a transfer of care to another physician, caregiver, or facility.
    
   
6. To inform your caregivers if you have concerns about your personal safety and feel that you may need help.
    
   
7. To be considerate and respectful to other patients and to hospital personnel and property.
    
   
8. To observe facility policies and procedures, including those regarding smoking, noise, visitors and billing.
    
   
9. To accept financial responsibility for your health care services and to work cooperatively to resolve your financial obligations.

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review carefully.

This notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment of healthcare operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. "Protected health information" is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition and related healthcare information. You may agree or object to the use and disclosure of all or part of your protected health information.

We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting medical information about you. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice and Privacy Practices.

We may use or disclose your protected health information to the extent that the use or disclosure is required by law. The use or disclosure will be made in compliance with the law and will be limited to the relevant requirements of the law. You will be notified, as required by law, of any such use or disclosure.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information

• With persons and other organizations when they are involved in providing healthcare services to you.
  • Doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and all clinicians involved in your care.
  • Individuals outside of the organization that are involved in your medical care, including family members and organizations we use to provide services who are part of your care.
• In order to pay your healthcare bills
  • Determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits.
  • Reviewing services provided for medical necessity and utilization review activities.
• To support the operations of the facility/organization
  • Quality assessment and improvement activities
  • Employee review activities/performance
  • Training/education of students/employees
  • Licensing/regulatory activities
  • Fundraising activity
  • Arrangements for other business activities
• Other possible use/disclosures
  • Sign-in sheets/calling name in waiting rooms
  • Facility directories
  • Others involved in your healthcare (family, caregivers)
  • Third party "business associates" that perform services for the facility
  • Provision of information about treatment alternatives or other health related benefits
  • Appointment reminders