RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PATIENTS
- Each patient will receive a copy of the Rights and Responsibilities of Patients upon admission to The Stone Center. The rights of patients are posted in the Family Room, Recovery Room, and Patient Changing Area.
- The patient has the right to know which Rights and Responsibilities of the Center apply to their conduct as a patient, including the patient’s responsibility to be considerate and respect the personal rights and private property of other patients, staff and the Center. The patient has the responsibility to follow The Stone Center’s rights and responsibilities affecting care and conduct.
- The patient has the right to obtain information as to any relationship of this Center to other healthcare and educational institutions insofar as their care is concerned. The patient has the right to obtain information as to the existence of any professional relationship among individuals, by name, who is treating them.
- The patient has the right to be informed of services available in the Center, and of the names and professional status of the personnel providing and/or responsible for their care.
- The patient has the right to know that The Stone Center employs professionals with proper training and skills for the specific area(s) of responsibility in which they function as required by Federal and State laws.
- The patient has the right to examine and receive an explanation of fees and related charges regardless of source of payment, including the payment, fee deposit, and refund policy of the Center and any charges for services not covered by sources of third-party payment.
- The patient has the right to obtain from their physician complete current information concerning their diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in terms the patient can be reasonably expected to understand. The patient has the right to participate in the development and implementation of their plan of care. They have the right to know by name, the Physician responsible for coordinating their care. The patient has the right to be involved in resolving conflicts about their care decisions.
- The patient has the responsibility to provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information regarding their health.
- The patient has the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain. The patient has the right to expect that their report(s) of pain will be believed and will receive effective pain management.
- The patient has the responsibility to report their pain; ask their physician what to expect regarding pain and pain management; and discuss pain relief and a pain management plan with their physician and nurse.
- The patient has the responsibility to follow the treatment plan provided and/or Discharge Instructions.
- The patient has the responsibility to keep appointments and notify the Center of any cancellation whenever possible.
- The patient has the right to give or withhold informed consent. Informed consent means that the patient has the right to discuss their procedure with the Licensed Practitioners (the proposed care, treatment , risks and benefits, any alternatives, etc. ) with consideration of the patient’s values and preferences so that the patient can participate fully in decisions about their care.
- The patient has the right to effective communication (this includes the needs of patients with vision, speech, language and cognitive impairments). Any information provided to the patient whether written or verbal is appropriate to the age, understanding and language of the patient. The patient has the right to translation services when necessary. The patient has the right to give permission for another person to receive/give information about his health care.
- When a patient is unable to make decisions about his or her care, treatment, or services, the Center’s involves a surrogate decision-maker in making these decisions.
- The Center provides the patient or surrogate decision-maker with information about the outcomes of care, treatment, or services that the patient needs to participate in current and future health care decisions.
- The patient (or surrogate decision maker) has the right and is informed about his care, treatment and services while at the Center. In addition, the Center informs the patient or surrogate decision-maker about unanticipated outcomes of care, treatment, or services that are sentinel events as defined by The Joint Commission.
- The Center respects the rights of the patient, or the surrogate decision-maker’s right to refuse care, treatment, or services on the patient’s behalf, in accordance with laws and regulations.
- The patient has the responsibility for their actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow instructions. The patient has the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of their action. Refusal will be documented in the patient’s Medical Record.
- The patient has the right to receive considerate, compassionate and respectful care always and under all circumstances, with recognition of their personal privacy and dignity.
- The patient has the right to treatment that is available at The Stone Center regardless of age, race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or sources of payment for care.
- The patient has the right to exercise civil and religious liberties and is not deprived of any constitutional, civil and/or legal rights solely because of receiving services from the Center.
- The patient has the right to express their psychosocial, spiritual, cultural beliefs, practices and personal values if they do not interfere with the planned course of medical treatment. The patients’ cultural, spiritual, psychosocial and personal values will be respected. No religious beliefs or practices will be imposed upon any patient.
- The Stone Center prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
- The patient has the right to be free from neglect, free from mental, physical, verbal and sexual abuse, free from exploitation and free from chemical, physical, and other types of restraints.
- The Stone Center respects the patient’s right to receive care in a safe setting.
- The patient has the right to know that The Stone Center has a zero tolerance policy for violence.
- The patient has the right to be protected from cross infection.
- The patient has the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to their care should be treated as confidential. Information in the Medical Record will not be released to anyone outside the Center without the patient’s consent, unless required and permitted by law.
- The patient has the right to access information contained in their Medical Record within a reasonable time frame, request amendment to, and obtain information on disclosures of their health information, in accordance with law and regulation.
- The patient has the right to express grievances about the Center’s staff and governing authority and to recommend changes in policies and services, without fear of restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal. The patient will contact the Chief Operating Officer or designee in reference to any grievances.
- The patient has the right to know that The Stone Center does not tolerate the use of illicit substances of its employees that may impair job performance or pose a hazard to others or themselves.
- The patient has the right to request information on the Advance Directive. If you would like information visit: https://www.nj.gov/health/advancedirective/ad/forums-faqs/
- The patient has the right to know that if they have an Advance Directive, the DNR section of their Advance Directive will not be effective while at The Stone Center.
- The patient has the right to know that if they have any concerns about patient care and/or patient safety concerns within The Stone Center they can contact the Administration at 973-564-5642; if their concerns are not resolved the patient can contact the Joint Commission:
- Joint Commission Website: https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/patient-safety-topics/report-a-patient-safety-concern-or-complaint/
- Submit a new patient safety event or concern
- Mail: Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
- The Center is owned in part by physicians. The physician who scheduled the patient to come to this Center and who will be performing the procedure(s) may have a financial interest in the The Stone Center. The patient has a choice to be treated at another facility of their choice. This disclosure is made in accordance with Federal Regulations.
- The patient has the right to know that they may seek treatment at a health care service provider of their choice. A listing of alternative health care service providers may be found on your health insurance provider or The Stone Center website: https://thestonecenter.org/
- The patient has the right to know that if The Stone Center of NJ, LLC does not participate with their insurance carrier, part or all the scheduled procedure will be considered “out of network”. If this is “out of network” then the patient will be personally responsible for the co-payment, co-insurance, or deductible, or other charges associated with such “out of network” services that are not covered by their insurance carrier.
To file any complaints, you may directly contact the NJ Department of Health Complaint Hotline:
1-800-792-9770
or visit:
https://www.nj.gov/health/healthfacilities/file_complaint.shtml
https://www.medicare.gov/providers-services/claims-appeals-complaints/complaints
or write:
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
Division of Health Facilities Evaluation and Licensing
PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0367
Or visit the Office of the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman website:
https://www.cms.gov/Center/Special-Topic/Ombudsman/Medicare-Beneficiary-Ombudsman-Home