Inpatient Stay > Your Rights & Responsibilities

Your Rights & Responsibilities

At Oroville Hospital, we believe that every patient deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and concern. We will provide care regardless of race, gender, disabilities, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, economic status, educational background, sexual orientation or marital status, or the source of payment for care. Oroville Hospital encourages respect for the personal preferences and values of each individual.

We consider you a partner in your health care. When you are well informed, participate in treatment decisions, and communicate openly with your doctor and other health professionals, you help make your care as effective as possible.

It is our goal to assure that your rights as a patient are observed and to act as a partner in your decision making process. These rights also apply to a person who has the legal responsibility for making decisions about medical care on your behalf.

While you are a patient at Oroville Hospital, you have the following rights:

Your Medical Care

You will receive considerate care that respects your personal value and belief systems. We will do our best to respond to all reasonable requests for service. You will be told the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating your care, and the names and professional relationships of other physicians and non-physicians who will see you. Your illness, course of treatment, prospects for recovery, and medically significant risks of treatment or non-treatment will be explained to you in terms you can understand. You have the right to participate in planning your care and treatment including the right to be involved in pain management. Patients with severe chronic intractable pain have the option to request or reject the use of any or all methods of pain relief. You will receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as you may need in order to give informed consent or to refuse this course of treatment. Except in emergencies, this information will include a description of the procedure or treatment, and the medically significant risks involved in each. You will also be informed of the person who will carry out the proposed procedure or treatment. You have the right to participate actively in decisions regarding your medical care. This includes the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. As a patient, you have the right to leave the hospital even against the advice of your physicians. For acute medical and surgical care, you will not be placed under restraints of any form that are not medically necessary. You have the right to expect reasonable continuity of care and to know in advance the time and location of appointments as well as who will provide care.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Your medical care will be conducted with careful consideration for your personal privacy. You have the right to know the reason for the presence of any person present during an examination, procedure or treatment. Records and communications about your hospital care will be held in confidence. You have the right to access information contained in your clinical records. Written permission will be obtained from you before your medical records can be made available to anyone not directly concerned with your care.

Be Informed

You can expect to be informed of your continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital such as doctor's appointments, laboratory tests and prescription medications. You have the right to know which hospital rules and policies apply to your conduct while you are a patient. You have the right to receive a satisfactory explanation of your bill regardless of your source of payment. You will not be subjected to any human experimentation affecting your care or treatment without your knowledge. You may refuse to participate in any such research project.

Your Responsibilities You also have certain responsibilities while you are a patient at Oroville Hospital. These include:

Providing an accurate and complete description of your medical condition and past medical history. Making an effort to understand your healthcare needs; asking for additional information when needed. Indicating whether you understand a suggested course of action. Reporting any changes in your condition to your physician. Informing those who treat you whether or not you think you can, and want to, permit or decline specific treatments. Following Oroville Hospital's policies which affect patient care and conduct. Keeping appointments and cooperating with your physicians and others caring for you. Meeting your financial commitments to Oroville Hospital. Being considerate of other patients and all hospital personnel.

Related Pages

Inpatient Stay - about your hospital stay.
While You're an Inpatient - other useful information about your hospital stay.
Advance Healthcare Directives - information and forms.
HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices - your privacy rights.