You have the right to:

• Visitors with equal visitation privileges, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.
• An interpreter, free of charge, if you do not speak or are not fluent in English or are hearing impaired.
• Have another authorized person, if necessary, act on your behalf and who would assert and protect your patient rights.
• Limit who knows about your being in the hospital and to decide if you want visitors or not while you are here. You also have the right to change your decisions while you are here. The hospital may need to limit or not allow visitors because of your condition or because the presence of a visitor might put in danger the health or safety of another patient or hospital staff or disrupt hospital operations.
• Have access to an individual or agency that is authorized to act on the patient’s behalf.
• Have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.

You have the right to:

• Receive information about your current health, treatment, outcomes, recovery, ongoing health care requirements, and future health status in terms that you understand.
• Be informed about proposed treatment options including the risks and benefits, other treatment options, what could happen without treatment, and the outcome(s) of any medical care provided including any unanticipated bad outcomes. You must sign your name before the start of any procedure and/or treatment. This “informed consent” is not required in the case of an emergency.
• Be involved in all aspects of your care and to take part in decisions about your care. This includes your right to be informed of your current health status, diagnosis, and future expectations of your condition.
• Request treatment; however, this right does not mean you can demand treatment or services that are not medically necessary or not appropriate.
• Refuse any treatment, drug, or procedure against the medical advice of a doctor.
• Receive assistance in obtaining consultation with another physician at the patient’s request and own expense.
• Expect the hospital to get your authorization before taking photos, recording, or filming if the purpose is for something other than patient identification, diagnosis, or treatment.
• Decide to take part or not take part in research or clinical trials for your condition that may be suggested by your physician. Your participation in such treatment is voluntary and written consent must be obtained from you or your legal representative before you participate. A decision to not take part in research or clinical trials will not affect your right to receive care.

You have the right to:

• Create advance directives, which are legal papers that allow you to decide now what you want to happen if you are no longer healthy enough to make such decisions. You have the right to have hospital staff comply with these directives.
• Ask about and discuss the ethics of your care, including resolving any conflicts that might arise including, but not limited to, deciding against, withholding, or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.

You have the right to:

• Receive emergency care without unnecessary delay.
• Participate in the care that you receive in the hospital.
• Receive instructions on important follow-up care and to participate in decisions about your plan of care after you are out of the hospital.
• Receive a prompt and safe transfer to the care of others when this hospital is unable to provide treatment or service. You have the right to know why a transfer might be necessary as well as other options for care that exist. The hospital cannot transfer you to the other hospital unless that hospital has agreed to accept you.

You have the right to:

• Receive care in a safe setting free from any form of abuse, harassment, exploitation, and neglect.
• Access protective or advocacy services, if needed.
• Receive considerate, respectful, safe, quality care delivered by competent personnel.
• Know the names of doctors and nurses providing care to you and the names and roles of other health care workers and professionals that are caring for you.
• Receive proper evaluation and management of pain, including the right to request or reject any or all options to relieve pain.
• Receive treatment free from restraints or seclusion unless clinically necessary to provide medical, surgical or behavioral health care.
• Receive good quality care along with high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.

You have the right to:

• Personal and informational privacy as required by law.
• Be interviewed, examined, and to discuss your care in places designed to assure reasonably that no one else can hear or see you.
• Be advised why certain persons are present and to ask visitors or others to leave during sensitive discussions or procedures.
• Expect all communications and records related to care, including who is paying for your treatment, to be treated as confidential.
• Receive written notice that explains how your personal health information will be used and shared with other health care professionals involved in your care.
• Expect good management to be used in considering use of the time of the patient and to minimize the personal discomfort of the patient.
• Review and request copies of your medical record.

You have the right to:

• Review, obtain, request, and receive a detailed explanation of your hospital charges and bills.
• Receive full information and counseling on ways to help pay for the hospital care that you received.

Please feel free to ask questions about any of these rights that you do not understand. 

If you have questions about these rights, please discuss them with your doctor or nurse, or call the Patient Advocacy Department at 215-728-3798.

You and your family/guardian have the right to: 

• Tell hospital personnel about your concerns, complaints or dissatisfaction regarding your care without any chance of not receiving care in the future.
• Expect a response to your complaint from the hospital. Complaints may be in writing or made face to face. The hospital has an obligation to respond to these complaints. To register your concerns with the hospital, please contact 215-728-3798 or:

Patient Advocacy Department – Jeanes Campus

Our address is:
7600 Central Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is also available to assist you with any question or concerns and can be reached by calling 800- 254-5164 or writing:

Acute and Ambulatory Care Services - Pennsylvania Department of Health

The address is:
PO Box 90
Harrisburg PA 17108-0090

You may also contact The Joint Commission at 800-994-6610 or:

The Joint Commission - Office of Quality Monitoring 

The address is:
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

Email: [email protected]

You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights at 215-861-4441 or:

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

150 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 372
Philadelphia, PA 19106

You can call your insurance company. Medicare patients should contact Livanta BFCC-QIO at 1-866-815-5440.

As a patient, family member, representative of the patient, or guardian, we ask that you:

• Comply with hospital rules and policies during your hospital stay.
• Recognize and respect the rights of other patients, families, and staff. Threats, violence, or harassment of other patients and hospital staff will not be tolerated.
• Comply with the hospital’s no smoking policy.
• Refrain from conducting any illegal activity on hospital property. If such activity occurs, the hospital may need to report it to the police.

As a patient, family member or guardian, we ask that you:

• Provide accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to your health.
• Report perceived risks and unexpected changes in your condition to the health care professionals taking care of you.
• Provide a copy of your Advance Directive, Living Will and/or Durable Power of Attorney for health care, and any organ/tissue donation authorizations to the health care professionals taking care of you.

As a patient you are encouraged to promote your own safety by becoming an active, involved, and informed member of your health care team. We ask you to:

• Ask questions if you are concerned about your health or safety.
• Make sure your doctor knows the site/side of the body that will be operated on before a procedure.
• Remind staff to check your identification before medications are given, blood/blood products are administered, blood samples are taken, or before any procedure that penetrates your body.
• Remind caregivers to wash their hands before and after taking care of you.
• Be informed about which medications you are taking and why you are taking them.
• Look for the identification badge worn by all hospital staff.

As a patient:

• You are responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow treatment instructions.

As a patient:

• You are responsible for paying for the health care that you receive as promptly as possible.

As a patient:

• You are expected to follow the treatment plans suggested by health care professionals caring for you while in the hospital and to work with them in developing that plan so you can comply with it during your hospital stay and when you return home.