Greene County Medical Center considers you a partner in your hospital care. When you are well-informed, participate in treatment decisions and communicate openly with your physicians and other health professionals, you help make your care as effective as possible.
Greene County Medical Center and our team members respect the rights, interests and well-being of our patients. It is our policy that these rights shall be respected, and no patient receiving care at Greene County Medical Center shall be required to waive these rights as a condition of treatment.
A Note About Privacy
We are required by federal law to maintain the privacy of your medical information and give you our Notice of Privacy Practices that describes our privacy practices, our legal duties and your rights concerning your medical information. This Notice is available in a separate brochure and will be offered to you at the time you are admitted or prior to receiving outpatient care.
If you have questions about your patient rights and responsibilities or need additional information, please call our compliance officer at 515-386-2114.
As a patient receiving care at Greene County Medical Center, you have responsibilities to help make your care as effective as possible. For example, we expect you to provide correct and complete information about your health and past medical history, participate in treatment decisions and communicate openly with our physicians and other health professionals during your planned treatment. In doing so, you are "helping us help you."
Your rights as a patient-and your responsibilities-are described below.
As a patient or patient's representative (such as the parent or legal guardian of a minor patient), you have the right to:
The Right to Respect
1. Be informed of your rights before providing or stopping care, when possible, in a format or manner that is understandable.
2. Be treated kindly and respectfully by Greene County Medical Center team members.
3. Be treated in an environment that preserves your dignity.
4. Exercise your cultural, psychosocial and spiritual beliefs and personal values and preferences-and have those beliefs, values and preferences respected by us. However, the exercise of those beliefs, values and preferences cannot interfere with the well-being of others and must be legally recognized and permitted.
5. Be free from restraint or seclusion (isolation) of any form that is not medically necessary or is used as a means of coercion (forcing), discipline, convenience or retaliation (getting back at you). All patients have the right to be free from physical or mental abuse and corporal (physical) punishment. Restraint or seclusion may only be imposed (used) by trained team members to ensure the immediate physical safety of the patient, our team members or others and must be discontinued (stopped) at the earliest possible time.
6. Receive care in a safe and secure setting.
7. Be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation or harassment.
8. Expect unrestricted access to communication. If visitors, mail, telephone calls or other forms of communication are restricted as a component of your care, you will be included in any such decision.
9. Expect quality care that is consistent with sound nursing and medical practices.
10. Expect inclusive care. Greene County Medical Center does not discriminate, exclude or treat any person or groups of persons differently-and will not permit discrimination-on the basis of the individual's inability to pay; on the basis of whether payment for services could be made under Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP; or on the basis of race, color, creed, ethnicity, culture, language, sex, national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, diagnosis, source of payment for care, marital or parental status, veteran's status or any other protected class in any manner prohibited by federal or state laws.
The Right to Access Care
1. Receive Treatment, care and services within the capability and mission of Greene County Medical Center and in compliance with law, regulation and payment policies.
2. Have language interpreters available at no cost to you. If you have vision, speech, hearing, language or cognitive impairments, Greene County Medical Center will address those communication needs.
3. Receive hospital care, treatment and services regardless of your ability to pay in accordance with the Greene County Medical Center Financial Assistance Program.
4. In the hospital setting, receive "total patient care" to the best of our ability, including spiritual and emotional support for you and your family.
The Right to Information
1. Receive effective communication. When written information is provided, we will strive to ensure that it is presented in a format or manner that is understandable to you.
2. Know the name and professional status of the physician or other practitioners providing care, services and treatment to you at the time of service. If you are in the hospital, you have the right to know the name of the physician or other practitioner who is primarily responsible for your care, treatment and services.
3. Have a family member (or representative of your choice) and your own physician promptly notified of your admission to Greene County Medical Center.
4. As required by law, access your information contained in your medical record within a reasonable timeframe when requested.
5. Be informed of the hospital rules and regulations applicable to your conduct as a patient.
6. Have access to your bill, including itemized charges, and receive an explanation of the charges regardless of the source of payment for your care. Greene County Medical Center will provide access within a reasonable period of time following receipt of a request.
7. Receive information about rights as a Medicare beneficiary when admitted to Greene County Medical Center.
8. Have Greene County Medical Center support your right to access protective and advocacy services by providing a list of community resources.
The Right to Medical Treatment and Decision Making
1. Participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care, including your inpatient treatment/care plan, outpatient treatment/care plan, discharge plan and pain management plan.
2. Be informed of your health status; be involved in care planning and treatment; be able to request or refuse treatment; and be informed of the medical consequences (effects) of such refusal. When you do not have capacity, your decision maker, as allowed by law, has the right to refuse care, treatment and services on your behalf.
3. Receive appropriate assessment and management of pain.
4. Be informed about the outcomes of your care, treatment and services, including unanticipated (unexpected) outcomes that you must be knowledgeable about to participate in current and future decisions affecting your care, treatment and services.
5. Receive complete and current information concerning your diagnosis (what disease or condition you might have), treatment and prognosis (what to expect) in terms you can understand. When it is not medically advisable to give such information, it may be made available to another person who has the right to know your health information.
6. Be given an explanation of any proposed procedure or treatment. The explanation should include a description of the nature and purpose of the treatment or procedure; the known risks or serious side effects; and treatment alternatives (other ways to provide treatment).
7. Have someone who can make medical decisions for you as allowed by law, when you are not able to make decisions about your care, treatment and services.
8. Be informed by the practitioner of any continuing healthcare needs following discharge.
9. Consult with an available specialist of your choosing at your request and expense if referral is not deemed medically necessary by your attending physician.
10. Have an "advance directive" (such as a living will or healthcare power of attorney) and have your doctor and other team members who provide care to you agree to follow these directives. These documents express your choice about your future care or name someone to make health care decisions for you if you are unable. If you have a written advance directive, you should provide a copy to Greene County Medical Center, your family and your doctor. You may review and revise your advance directive. The existence or lack of an advance directive does not affect your access to care, treatment and services at Greene County Medical Center.
11. Request transfer of your care to another physician or facility. Keep in mind that your requested facility may be unable to take you at the time of transfer, so your transfer could be to a different facility.
12. Receive medical evaluation, service and/or referral as indicated by the urgency of your situation. When medically permissible, you may be transferred to another facility only after having received complete information and explanation concerning the need for, and an alternative to, such a transfer. The facility to which you will be transferred must first accept the transfer and may not be the facility of your choice.
13. Be involved in decisions subject to internal review within Greene County Medical Center or external review (such as by your insurance company) that results in denial (disapproval) of care, treatment, services or payment based on your assessed medical needs.
14. If your care involves any experimental methods of treatment, you have the right to consent or refuse to participate. If you do not participate, it will not affect your access to care, treatment and services.
The Right to Receive Visitors at Greene County Medical Center
1. Be informed of your visitation rights, including any clinical restriction or limitation to such rights.
2. Be informed of the right, subject to your consent, to receive the visitors whom you designate (choose) and your right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time.
3. Ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences, regardless of their race, color, creed, ethnicity, culture, language, sex, national origin, age, religion, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, marital or parental status, veteran's status or any other protected class in any manner prohibited by federal or state laws.
As a patient, you have the responsibility:
1. To read this patient guide or request that it be read to you and ask questions about any parts you do not understand.
2. To provide accurate and complete information about your healthcare status, including present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, advance directives and other matters relating to your health. You will report perceived risks in your care and unexpected changes in your condition, and you will affirm whether you clearly comprehend a contemplated course of action and what is expected.
3. To follow the treatment plan recommended by the practitioner primarily responsible for your care. This may include following the instructions of nurses and other health care professionals as they implement the practitioner's orders and enforce the applicable hospital rules and regulations.
4. For your actions if you refuse treatment or if you do not follow the practitioner's instructions.
5. To assure that the financial obligations of your care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
6. To follow hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
7. To be considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel, and for assisting in the control of noise, smoking and the number of visitors in your room.
8. To ask questions when you do not understand what you have been told about your care or what you are expected to do.
Filing a Complaint
The Right to File a Complaint with Greene County Medical Center
You may use the Greene County Medical Center complaint/grievance resolution process for submitting a written or verbal concern. If you submit a complaint or grievance, it will be investigated. Action will be taken to resolve the concern either verbally or in writing, when appropriate.
The Right to File a Complaint with Regulatory and Accreditation Organizations
You may also submit complaints regarding violations of your rights, including the right not to be discriminated against, to other agencies that regulate or provide accreditation to Greene County Medical Center. It is not necessary to use the Greene County Medical Center grievance process.
Contacts
- Greene County Medical Center
- State Health Agencies
- Accrediting Organizations
Patient Rights Contacts
- Greene County Medical Center Patient Experience Coordinator | 515-386-0614
- Attn: Patient Experience Coordinator
- 1000 W Lincoln Way
- Jefferson, IA 50129
State Health Agencies
- Iowa - Refer concerns or grievances regarding your hospital care (e.g., quality of care, premature discharge or beneficiary complaints) to the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals, Health Facilities Division, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319; 877-686-0027 (toll free).
- Refer concerns or grievances regarding discrimination to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 400 East 14th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0201; 515-281-4121; 800-457-4416 (toll free); 515-242-5840 (fax). Use the online civil rights complaint form when mailing, faxing or emailing your complaint.
For Medicare Patients
- Iowa -Refer quality of care concerns, premature discharge grievances or beneficiary complaints to Livanta, the external peer review organization for hospitals in Iowa. You may enter your concern online at www.livantaqio.com/en/States/Iowa or send your concern in writing to Livanta LLC BFCC-QIO, 10820 Guilford Road, Suite 202, Annapolis Junction, MD 2070-1105, or use their Helpline: 888-755-5580; TTY: 888-985-9295; Fax: 955-694-2929.
Accreditation Organizations
- Jefferson-To submit complaints directly to the accrediting agency DNV (Det Norske Veritas), patients, family members and other concerned parties should use this web form: www.dnvhealthcareportal.com/patient-complaint-report.
- Or you may submit a complaint about your care directly to DNV at 866-496-9647 (phone) or 281-870-4818 (fax), or by email to hospitalcomplaint@dnv.com, or by mail to DNV Healthcare USA Inc., ATTN: Hospital Complaint, 4435 Aicholtz Road, Suite 900, Cincinnati, OH 45245.
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