1. Patients undergoing surgical procedures have the right to be treated with all due respect, consideration, and dignity. Patients shall be provided appropriate privacy.
  2. The patient has the right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
  3. Patients have the right to confidentiality. Confidentiality of records of all treatment/procedures performed in the facility is the right of each patient. Except as required by law, no patient’s medical information will be disclosed to any source without prior legal authorization for approval or refusal from the patient or the patient’s legal guardian.
  4. Patients have the right to expect proper information. To the best of the knowledge of the center’s medical staff, all information concerning the patient’s diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis will be provided to the patient. When concern for a patient’s health makes it inadvisable to give such information to the patient, such information is made available to an individual designated by the patient or to a legally authorized individual.
  5. Patients are given the opportunity and are encouraged to participate actively in the decision-making process concerning their need for medical and surgical care. Language barriers are dealt with on case by case basis through interpreters provided for the patient, language line, and resources available.
  6. Patients have the right to expect all procedures and treatments be explained, and the informed consent provided for each surgical procedure be explained prior to being signed by the patient, or patient’s legal guardian, and witnessed. Patients are given ample time for discussion and/or questions of the medical staff regarding their treatment. Postoperative instructions are provided, and complication and/or consequences if pre-op and post-op instructions are not followed completely, are discussed with each patient and/or his legal guardian.
  7. Patients have a right to request information regarding advanced directives or present their own advanced directive.The patient has a right to the center’s policy regarding advanced directives. It is our policy that the advanced directive will be taken to the Medical Director and after discussion, the Medical Director or designee will explain that we do not follow advanced directives in our surgery center. A copy of the directive will be placed in the patient’s chart, but it will be ignored. A patient receiving treatment here will always be given emergency, life saving measures if necessary and/or transferred to a hospital with the advanced directive.
  8. All patients undergoing surgical procedures have the right to address their physician and/or administrator should any problems or questions arise relating to the medical-nursing care provided and/or subsequent billing for services rendered, without compromise to the patient’s future access to care. Each concern so expressed will receive a response and consideration will be given to appropriate corrective action channeled through the Quality Management Committee, Patient Safety Committee, and/or the Board of Directors as needed. Grievances will be addressed within 30 days.
  9. Patients have a right to be treated regardless of race, color, creed, gender or national origin. Requirements for patients’ use of the center are based solely on the medical needs of the patient without regard to race, color, creed, or national origin. All persons having occasion either to refer patients for admission or recommend the center must do so without regard for the patient’s race, color, creed, gender or national origin. 10. Patients have the right to change providers if qualified providers are available. The patient must make request known immediately so an arrangement for rescheduling can be made if necessary.
  10. Patients have a right to file any complaints with the Department of State Health Services Facility Licensing Group, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756, 1-800-973-OO22. They also file complaints with Medicare by using the website for the Ombudsman: http://www.medicare.gov/Ombudsman/resources.asp or they may simply call 1-800-Medicare for help. In addition, our patients may also contact AAAHC to report any grievances, as we are accredited through this agency: AAAHC 5250 Old Orchard Road, Suite 200, Skokie, IL 60077, 1-847-853-6060