Patient's Rights, Responsibilities and Privacy Notice

Your Rights Are Honored

As a patient, family member or guardian of a patient, Warren General Hospital is committed to delivering quality medical care that is effective and considerate.

As a patient, you have the right to receive care without discrimination due to age, sex, race color religion, sexual orientation, income, education, national origin, marital status, culture, language, disability, gender identity, or physical disability.

Your Rights

  • Respectful, quality care.
  • Have your physician and a family member or other person of your choice promptly notified of your hospital admission.
  • Know the names of the doctors and nurses who provide your care.
  • Privacy concerning your medical care.
  • Confidential records pertaining to your medical care.
  • Expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
  • Information about your current health, treatment, outcomes, recovery, ongoing health care needs and future health status in terms that you understand.
  • Proper assessment and management of pain, including the right to request or reject any or all options to relieve pain.
  • To take part or not take part in research or clinical trials for your condition, or donor programs, that your doctor may suggest.
  • Refuse any drugs, treatment, care or procedure offered to you by the hospital.
  • Request a consultation with another health care provider at your own expense.
  • Receive a prompt and safe transfer to the care of others when Warren General Hospital is not able to meet your need or request for care or service.
  • Receive instructions on follow-up care and participate in decisions about your plan of care after you are out of the hospital.

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Your protected health care information is used or may be disclosed for purposes of treatment, payment, and operations to:

 

  • Other health care professionals or providers for the purpose of providing you with quality health care.  (Example:  Another hospital, a nursing home, home health agency, or consults or referrals between physicians or reference laboratories.)
  • Your insurance provider for the purpose of receiving payment for your needed health care services.(Example: to complete a claim form to obtain payment from an insurer.) 
  • Health care professionals for the purposes of ensuring we are providing quality health care services.  (Example: Our quality assurance committee reviews patient records to monitor performance and quality.)
  • Business associates who perform services such as billing, coding, consulting, transcription, and accounts receivable management. (Example: to complete a claim form to obtain payment for services)
  • Training, certification, and licensing programs.  (Example:  Medical students and nursing students participate in training programs at WGH.)
  • Customer service staff, medical or legal reviews, and auditors.  (Example: Patients receive a questionnaire about the service they received and these are used to improve our service to you.)
  • Public health or law enforcement when the law requires it. (Example: for legal proceedings and law enforcement: Workers’ Compensation: PHI related to Inmates; Military, National Security and Intelligence Activities; for the Protection of the President; certain approved research purposes: and any other reason such a disclosure would be required by law)
  • State or federal agencies for purposes of health care cost containment, determining medical necessity, or appropriateness of services. (Example: For Federal and State health care statistics regarding medically necessary patient care and if patient care was appropriate.)
  • Report a defective device or problematic event regarding a biological product (food or medication). (Example:  The FDA requires reporting of defective equipment).
  • Public Health, Abuse or Neglect, and Health Oversight (Example: to alert a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease)

 

  • Send you appointment reminders, treatment alternatives, or information regarding other health related benefits and services. (Example: to send follow up reminders of appointments or testing)
  • Visitors, callers, clergy, and room deliveries, if you agree to be in our hospital directory and these people ask for you by name.
  • Other situations where Warren General Hospital may use or disclose your protected health information include:  organ and tissue donations, workers compensation, coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors.
  • Certain uses of your medical data, such as use of patient information in marketing, require prior disclosure and your authorization. Use and disclosures not described in this notice will be made only with your authorization.
  • If you pay in cash in full (out of pocket) for your treatment, you can instruct WGH not to share information about your treatment with your health plan, except where WGH is required by law to make a disclosure.

You have the right to:

  • Receive a copy of this Privacy Notice.
  • To be notified of a data breach.
  • Request a restriction of the use of your health care information unless the restriction conflicts with providing your health care or in the event of an emergency. The Hospital will review each restriction request, but reserves the right to deny any restriction request received.
  • Make reasonable requests to receive communications about your health care at an alternate address or by means other than by mail.
  • Make a written request to review and/or photocopy your health care information (Copies may be subject to reasonable charges.)
  • Request a copy of your electronic medical record in an electronic form.
  • Request changes to your health care information.  These requests must be made in writing.
  • To opt out of fundraising communications from WGH, and WGH cannot sell your health information without your permission.
  • Know who has received your health care information for purposes other than treatment, payment, and operations of the hospital, and for what purpose, with some exceptions as defined by law.

Your Right to Raise a Grievance

Sometimes, a patient or family member may have a concern or complaint that can be quickly addressed during the hospital visit. We encourage you to contact the manager of the department, a member of your healthcare team or contact the Patient Relations Department at Warren General Hospital. You may submit a complaint or grievance to the hospital in writing, by phone or in person. You may expect a timely response from the hospital in terms that you can understand. Alternatively, you may wish to submit your complaint or grievance to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

To share your concerns with the hospital, please contact the hospital’s Patient Relations Department at:

Patient Relations
Warren General Hospital
Two Crescent Park West
PO Box 68
Warren PA 16365
(814) 723-4973 extension 2087

 

You may submit your complaint or grievance to the Department of Health at:

Pennsylvania Department of Health
Acute & Ambulatory Care Services
Health & Welfare Building, Room 532
625 Forster Street
Harrisburg PA 17180-0090
Phone:  (717)783-8980 Fax:  (717)705-6663 Hotline:  (800) 254-5164

 

Your Responsibilities

  • Be considerate of other patients, their families and visitors.
  • Obey our no smoking policy, and do not consume alcoholic beverages.
  • Tell us which of your family members or caregivers our healthcare team is authorized to discuss your medical care in the event you are unable to properly communicate with your healthcare team.
  • Only take medications that have been prescribed by your physician and administered by our healthcare team.
  • Refrain from any illegal activity on hospital property.
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  • Two Crescent Park West, Warren PA 16365
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