Rights & Responsibilities of CHaD Patients
The rights of CHaD patients
At CHaD it is important to know our patients and families have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity, and respect. If you have questions about these rights or if you would like a copy of the state law which lists them, call Care Management at (603) 650-5789.
- Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have the right to know about the child's illness, to understand outcomes of care, and the right to take part in the decisions that affect health and well-being of the minor patient. Parents (and legal guardian) have the right to talk with different doctors, to say “no” to any particular test or treatment, and to talk about end-of-life decisions. They have the right to get this information in a manner which is understandable and, if they wish, include the minor children in making decisions.
- Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have a right to know the minor child's diagnosis and the plan for treating it. This includes talking about procedures and tests and the expected result or medical outlook for the future. They have the right to learn the outcome of the procedures or treatment.
- The minor child patient has the right to be as free of pain as possible during the hospital stay, during a test, or during a treatment. The health care team will help parents (and legal guardians) of minor children to make and understand a plan to manage pain. It will check with patients and their parents (and legal guardian) about how well the patient is feeling and change the plan to control pain, as needed.
- Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have the right to know the names of the doctors and others who are taking care of the patient. We encourage them to ask questions of the health care team.
- The minor patient has the right to be treated with respect, to be called by his/her preferred name without too much informality, and to be safe while in the hospital environment. The patient and family background, spiritual and personal values, beliefs, and preferences should be respected. The patient and family (and legal guardians) have the right to expect a reasonable response to requests for help. The minor patient and parents (and legal guardians) have the right to reasonable privacy. They may expect to talk with doctors, nurses, social workers, or other health care professionals in private, and know that the information will be shared only with those people who need it to do their jobs.
- Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have the right to know and review the information in the patient's medical record. The minor child's medical record is private. Certain conditions, such as cancer, cases of some infectious diseases, work-related contact with poisons or other dangerous materials, and cases of child abuse, must be reported by law, even without permission. In some cases involving concern about the care, the medical center may disclose information in medical records to its own lawyers and agents.
If parents (and legal guardians) are unhappy with the care the patient receives, they have the right to express this to the health care team or Patient and Family Relations at (603) 650-4429. We ask that parents (and legal guardian) of minor children speak with us first to try to help you with concerns. If we cannot meet your needs, you can contact:
- The Office of NH Ombudsman at (603) 271-6941 or (800) 852-3345 x6941
- The Bureau of Health Facilities Administration at (603) 271-4592 or (800) 852-3345 x4592
- The Joint Commission at (800) 994-6610
Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have the right to be told fully about any research study in which minor children are asked to take part. This discussion should occur before parents (and legal guardians) of minor children agree for the minor child to enter the study. Parents (and legal guardians) must give permission before any tests or treatments can be carried out in the course of the research study. Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have the right to refuse to take part in a research study. If they refuse to take part, it will not affect the care we provide to the child.
Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children will receive, before leaving the hospital or clinic, clear instructions about what they must do at home and how family can help recovery and ongoing health care of the minor child patient. Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children have the right to understand the instructions completely.
In order to reduce concerns about paying the hospital bill, parents (and legal guardians) of minor children will be told of services available to help in paying for care. They have the right to look at and receive an explanation of the bills. This information can be obtained through Patient Financial Services at (800) 368-4783.
The responsibilities of CHaD patients
We ask CHaD patients and families to please:
- Provide information about the patient's past and present health. Parents (and legal guardians) of minor children must tell a doctor or nurse if they think the patient is at risk and if the patient's health has changed.
- Ask questions about anything you do not understand, including treatment or what the patient, parents (and legal guardians) are expected to do.
- Follow the plan that is developed for the patient's treatment. If you have a concern about the plan, please talk about it with your doctors and nurses.
- Accept responsibility for your actions if you do not follow the treatment plan.
- Follow the rules and regulations of the Medical Center.
- Show respect to the staff, other patients, and the Medical Center's property.
- Pay the Medical Center in a timely manner according to your agreement with the Medical Center.
