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Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Your Rights

As a patient, you have the right to:

• receive treatment, care, and services according to LSUHSC-Shreveport’s capabilities and mission, and in compliance with law and regulation
• receive treatment, care, and services that are medically indicated, regardless of your race, creed, sex, sexual preference, national origin, religion or ability to pay
• receive treatment, care, and services in a way that is respectful of your cultural, spiritual, and personal needs
• safety, security, and personal dignity
• know the names and roles of people caring for you
• be informed about your illness and treatment, including the potential benefits, risks, outcomes and alternatives
• be informed about the outcomes of care, treatment, and services provided to you, including unexpected outcomes
• consent to or refuse any treatment as permitted by law, throughout your hospital stay
• consent or refuse to take part in any research affecting your care
• be involved in decisions about the care, treatment, and services provided to you
• be involved in resolving ethical issues or conflicts regarding the care, treatment, and services provided to you
• be taught how to meet your ongoing healthcare needs
• be free of pain to the extent that is medically possible
• receive information about pain and pain relief measures
• expect a timely response from medical staff when you tell them you are in pain
• make a complaint about the quality of your care and expect it to be resolved or explained
• privacy and confidential handling of all communications and records regarding your care
• receive pastoral and other spiritual services
• request and receive an itemized and detailed explanation of your total bill
• access, request amendment to, and receive an accounting of disclosures of your own health information, as permitted under applicable law
• know the hospital rules that affect you in your treatment
• know if LSUHSC-Shreveport has relationships with outside entities that affect your care

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Your Responsibilities

As a patient, you are responsible for…

• responding to hospital employees in a considerate and respectful manner
• being considerate of the rights and privacy of others
• asking questions if you do not understand information or instructions.
• assisting in controlling noise, spread of contagious disease, and the number of visitors at any one time
• giving true and complete information about your health, past illness, hospital stays, medicines, and other things related to your care
• providing honest information about your insurance, and working with the hospital to arrange prompt payment when necessary
• following hospital rules
• following your treatment plan
• the results if you refuse treatment or do not follow your health care team's instructions
• furnishing the hospital with a copy of your advance directive if you have one.
• asking your doctor or nurse about pain relief and pain management
• asking for pain relief when pain first begins
• helping your doctor and nurse measure your pain, and letting them know if your pain is not relieved

Advance Directives

A competent adult (age 18 or older) patient has the right to say “yes” or “no” to any medical treatment. “Competent” means that you understand your condition and the results your decisions may have. An Advance Directive is a legal statement that explains your instructions about medical treatment if you are ever unable to make decisions for yourself. If you are unable to make decisions for yourself and you do not have an Advance Directive, doctors are allowed by law to make medical decisions for you.

If you already have an Advance Directive, it is your responsibility to tell your doctor and nurse about it. A copy of your Advance Directive will be placed in your medical chart so that it will be available if necessary.

There are two (2) types of Advance Directives: a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions.

Living Will

A Living Will contains written directions that explain the type of care you want or do not want if you become unable to make you own choices. These directions tell your doctor, family, and friends what your wishes are if you ever have a terminal and irreversible condition. Examples where a Living Will would be used include:

• A continual, profound comatose state with no reasonable chance of recovery.
• An injury or illness that will result in death and for which life-sustaining treatment would only delay death.

Your instructions in a Living Will state what kind of treatment you want to be used to prolong your life, and it relieves others from the responsibility of having to make these decisions. Life-sustaining treatments that you can permit or refuse in a Living Will include feeding tubes, CPR, and the use of machines to help you breath. Even with a Living Will, doctors and nurses will still give you pain medication or other treatments designed to keep you comfortable.

Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions

A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions is used to name another person to make healthcare choices for you if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Only healthcare decisions can be made by the person you select. This type of Advance Directive can be helpful in situations that may not be covered by a Living Will.

If you have not made an Advance Directive and would like more information or help in making one, please ask your nurse.

Ethics Committee

It is not always easy to make decisions about the health care of a loved one. The Ethics Committee can help when there are differences of opinion between patients, their families, and health care providers. Committee members include doctors, nurses, administrators, lawyers, ministers, and other professionals with training in medical ethics. If you want to talk with a member of the Ethics Committee, please let your doctor or nurse know.

Patient Relations

Most problems or questions you may have can be answered by your nurse or doctor. You may also call the Patient Relations department by dialing 5-5531if you are in house or 318-675-5531. Patient Relations staff are available to discuss your concerns privately. The staff of LSU Health Sciences Center are fully committed to addressing your concerns and providing you with a timely response to your complaint.