Your Rights Are Honored

As a patient, family member or guardian of a patient, we would like you to know that we are committed to delivering quality medical care that is effective and considerate. This document is a statement of our policy. We want you to know the rights you have under federal and Pennsylvania law as soon as possible in your hospital stay so that you may take an active role in your health care and can help us meet your needs.

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, physical disability or who will pay your bill. The physically disabled will have reasonable and equal access to the facilities, services, and programs of this hospital.

Patients will receive services and care that are medically suggested and within the hospital's services, its stated mission and required by law and regulation.

Your Rights

• Respectful, considerate care given by skilled staff.

• 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, and the names and functions of other healthcare workers that care for you.

• Privacy concerning your own medical care. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment should be done in places designed to protect your privacy.

• Have all records pertaining to your medical care treated as confidential. If you request it, the hospital shall provide you access to your medical records unless restricted for medical or legal reasons. You will have access to your records within a reasonable time and for a reasonable fee.

• Know what hospital rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient.

• Expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.

• Good quality care and high professional standards that are continually maintained and reviewed.

• Information about your current health, treatment, outcomes, recovery, ongoing health care needs and future health status in terms that you understand. This includes interpretation and translation, free of charge, in the language you prefer. This also includes providing you with help if you have vision, hearing or cognitive difficulties.

• Information upon discharge about your continuing health care requirements after discharge and the means for meeting them.

• Choose a support person, if needed, to act on your behalf to assert and protect your patient rights.

• Be involved in all aspects of your care and decisions about your care. When it is not medically advisable to give information to you, your information shall be given to your family member or other appropriate person.
  You have the right to information about alternative treatments and possible unexpected complications. You may be asked to sign your name before the start of a procedure and/or care.  This is "informed consent," and it is not required in the case of an emergency.

• A proper assessment and management of pain, including the right to request or reject any or all options to relieve pain.

• Receive care in a safe setting.

• Be free of all forms of abuse or harassment.

• Receive care free from restraints or seclusion unless necessary to provide medical, surgical or behavioral health care.

• Decide to take part or not take part in research or clinical trials for your condition, or donor programs, that your doctor may suggest. Your participation in such programs is voluntary. You or your legal representative must give written permission before you participate. 
  A decision not to take part in such programs will not affect your right to receive care.

You have the right to:

• Refuse any drugs, treatment, care or procedure offered by the hospital. You will be told of the medical consequences of your refusal. There may be times when care must be provided based on the law.  You are responsible for your actions if you refuse care or do not follow care instructions.
   

• 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 is not able to meet your need or request for care or service. You have the right to know why a transfer might be required, as well as learning about other options for care. Warren General cannot transfer you to another hospital unless that hospital has agreed to accept you.
   

• Receive instructions on follow-up care and participate in decisions about your plan of care after you are out of the hospital.

You Have The Right To Raise a Complaint or Grievance

Being a good patient does not mean being a silent one. Tell hospital staff about your concerns or complaints regarding your care.  This will not affect your future care.

Concerns, Complaints, and Grievances during your hospital visit

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 or a member of your healthcare team so we can quickly address the concern.

Sometimes a more serious matter cannot be resolved quickly and while you are in the hospital. You may want to seek review of the quality of your care, coverage decisions and concerns about your discharge.

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 PA Department of Health at the address and phone number below.

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
(800) 254-5164

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how Warren General Hospital, Warren Medical Group, the Warren General Hospital Cancer Care Center, the Medical Staff, and all employed providers of Warren General Hospital may use or disclose your protected health information (PHI) created or obtained in connection with medical care provided to you at our facility’s patient care locations. Your rights and our obligations outlined in this notice apply to all of your health information generated and maintained by Warren General Hospital, whether recorded in your medical record, invoices, payment forms, video recordings, or in other forms of media.

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION:

• Other health care professionals or providers for the purpose of providing you with quality health care. (Example: Another hospital, a nursing home, a 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 the 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 claims, PHI related to Inmates, Military, National Security and Intelligence Activities, Presidential protective services; certain approved public health and 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.

• Responding to a court order or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

• 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 deliveries to care areas, if you agree to be in our hospital directory. These individuals must ask for you by name.

Other situations where Warren General Hospital may use or disclose your protected health information include organ and tissue donations, worker’s compensation, coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors. Certain uses of your medical data, such as the use of patient information in marketing, require prior disclosure and your authorization. Use and disclosure not described in this notice will be made only with your authorization.

THE HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE:

Warren General Hospital may participate in Health Information Exchange (HIE),

An HIE is an organization that providers, payers, and providers of ancillary health care related services participate in to exchange patient information in order to facilitate health care, avoid duplication of services (such as tests), and to reduce the likelihood that medical errors will occur. By participating in an HIE, Warren General Hospital may share your health information with authorized participants, or participants of other HIEs. The health information includes, but is not limited to:

• Diagnostic test results (Laboratory test results, Pathology results, Imaging results, Cardiac testing, GI testing, Neurological testing)

• Health maintenance documentation/Medications

• Problem lists

• Allergy documentation/Immunizations

• Inpatient progress notes/Emergency visit notes

• Consultation notes

• Operative notes

• Discharge Summaries

• Preferred Pharmacies

• Summary of Care Records

All Participants have agreed to a set of standards relating to their use and disclosure of health information available through the HIE. These standards are intended to comply with all applicable state and federal laws.

As a result, you understand and agree that unless you notify your Provider that you do not wish for your health information to be available through the HIE (“Opt-Out”), your information will be shared.

• Health information that results from any Participant providing services to you will be made available through the HIE. For clarity, if you Opt-Out, your health information will no longer be accessible through the HIE. However, your opt-out does not affect health information that was disclosed through the HIE prior to the time that you opted out;

• Regardless of whether you choose to opt-out of the HIE, your health information will still be provided to the HIE. However, if you choose to Opt-Out, the HIE will not exchange your health information with other providers and payers. Additionally, you cannot choose to have only certain providers or payers access your health information;

• All Participants who provide services to you will have the ability to access and download your information. However, Participants that do not provide services to you will not have the ability to access or download your information;

• Information available through the HIE may be provided to others as necessary for referral, consultation, treatment and/or the provision of other treatment-related healthcare services to you. This includes providers, payers, pharmacies, laboratories, etc.;

• Your information may be disclosed for payment related activities associated with your treatment by a Participant and your information may be used for healthcare operations related activities by Participants. You may Opt-Out at any time by notifying Warren General Hospital.

YOUR RIGHTS

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

• You can access or obtain a copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.

• We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Request confidential communications

• You can request us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.

Request us to limit what we use or share

• You can request us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may deny your request if it would negatively affect your care.

• If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can request us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will agree unless a law requires us to share that information.

Obtain a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

• You can request a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.

• We will include all the disclosures except for those related to treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Obtain a copy of this privacy notice

• You can request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will promptly provide you with a paper copy.

Choose someone to act for you

• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.

• We will make sure this person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights have been violated

• If you believe your rights to privacy have been violated, you may file a complaint with our privacy officer or notify the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. All complaints will be investigated. No action will be taken against you for filing a complaint with the hospital.

You may mail a complaint to:

Attn: Privacy Officer

Warren General Hospital

Two Crescent Park West, PO Box 68

Warren PA, 16365

To share your concerns with the hospital by telephone, please contact the hospital’s Privacy Officer at 814-723-4973

You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.

• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.

• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

Changes to the Terms of this Notice:

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our locations, offices, and on our web site

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS: PRIVACY PRACTICES RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) RECORDS

These additional provisions to this Notice apply only to those WGH entities and WGH affiliates that create or receive federally regulated SUD treatment records. Your SUD records will be protected by federal and state privacy laws. Unless specifically indicated in these additional provisions, your SUD records will have the same protections, and you will have the same rights as described elsewhere in this Notice. The following provisions identify added protections for SUD records, as required by law.

WHEN WE CAN USE AND SHARE YOUR SUD RECORDS:

For PHI collected by a SUD program governed by federal regulations, your consent will be obtained for all future uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations before sharing such information consistent with applicable privacy laws. We may also obtain your consent to disclose SUD records to prevent multiple enrollments in withdrawal management or maintenance treatment programs, or to persons within the criminal justice system who have made participation in the substance use disorder program a condition of the disposition of any criminal proceedings against you or of your parole or other release from custody, provided the disclosure is permitted by applicable privacy laws. In most cases, we collect your consent for these purposes when you begin treatment with one of our SUD programs. Except as described in these additional provisions, any other uses or disclosures of your SUD records will require your written consent. Records that we share with your consent to a third party regulated by federal privacy laws may be further disclosed, without your written consent, by the third party, to the extent permitted by federal privacy laws. We may use and share SUD records without your consent for the following reasons when all conditions required by federal law are met: medical emergencies, scientific research, management audits, financial audits, program evaluation, and disclosures to public health authorities when the health records are de-identified

PROHIBITION ON SHARING RECORDS IN CIVIL, CRIMINAL, ADMINISTRATIVE OR LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS:

We will not use or share your SUD records (or provide testimony based on such information) in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you, unless you have provided your written consent, or a special type of court order has been obtained and you have had the opportunity to object.

OPT-OUT FOR FUNDRAISING:

We will only use or share records to fundraise for the benefit of a SUD treatment program if you are first provided with an option to elect not to receive fundraising communications. You can request to no longer receive fundraising communications following your participation in a SUD program, even if you initially permitted us to send such communications.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

We must follow the privacy practices described in this Notice while it is in effect. This Notice is revised and effective as of February 16, 2026 and will remain in effect unless we replace it.

Advance Healthcare Directives

You have the right to create advance medical directives, which are legal papers that allow you to decide now what you want to happen if you are no longer able to make your own decisions about your care. You have the right to appoint someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. You have the right to have hospital staff comply with these directives. You are not required to have an advance directive in order to receive care and treatment in this facility.

There are two common types of Advance Healthcare Directives

• Living Will - This document tells your healthcare team what types of treatment you will want or not want when you get to the end of your life. A Living Will is only used when you have a non-curable, terminal illness and you are unable to communicate with your healthcare team. If you are not sure what type of end-of-life treatment you may want, you can use the Living Will to designate a person to make those decisions for you, when the time comes.

  Living Will

• Power of Attorney - A Power of Attorney lets you name another person to make healthcare decisions for you. You decide what powers you want to give another person and when those powers will take effect. Since a Living Will is only effective for end-of-life situations, a Power of Attorney is useful when you cannot communicate for other reasons.

  Power of Attorney

What should I do with my advance healthcare directive?

You should give a copy to your family doctor, to the hospital, your family, and those people you have named to help make decisions for you if you cannot.

Can I change my advance healthcare directive?

You can change your mind and revoke a Living Will or Power of Attorney at any time. To do this you need to tell your family or healthcare team that you revoke the document. Another way to revoke your advance healthcare is to make a new one, sign it and date it.

What if I don't have an advance healthcare directive? 

As long as you are able to communicate with your physician, you will decide what type of healthcare you want or do not want. If you are unable to communicate with your physician, your physician will discuss this with your family. If you have no family, a court order may be necessary to decide what type of treatment is best for you.

Where can I get forms to complete an advanced healthcare directive?

Ask your physician, nurse, or social worker for the forms to make an advance healthcare directive.

Hospital Bills

You are responsible to promptly pay for the healthcare that you receive, whether through your insurance or through your own funds. Some services may not be covered by insurance. Some services may have a patient copayment or deductible. If you think you may need financial assistance with your bill, please contact our financial counselor at (814) 723-4973 extension 1325.

Tell us when your name, address, telephone number, or insurance information changes during your hospitalization or soon after you received services from our hospital.

You have the right to:

• Request, examine and receive a detailed explanation of your hospital bill.

• Receive information and counseling on ways to help pay for your hospital bill.

Healthcare Payment Assistance Program

If you do not have healthcare insurance or have limited funds, you may be eligible for our healthcare payment assistance program. Discounted or free care is based on income and household size. A hospital representative will review and verify the financial information you provide during the application process. We reserve the right to ask you to receive a denial from Medical Assistance if you may meet benefit criteria. If you would like more information about this program, please contact our Patient Accounts Department at (814) 723-4973 extension 1325.

PATIENT'S CIVIL RIGHTS

Inpatient and outpatient care including all clinic locations, emergency room care and any contracted services for patients shall be provided without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual preference, religion, ancestry, age, handicap or disability.

• All patients shall be assigned to rooms, floors and sections in accordance with their medical needs.

• Patients shall not be asked whether they are willing or desire to share a room with a person of another race, religion, sexual preference, ancestry, age, handicap or disability.

• Employees shall be assigned to patient services without regard to the race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual preference, religion, ancestry, age, handicap or disability of either the patient or employee.

• Transfer of patients from rooms assigned or selected, or both, shall not be made for other than valid medical reasons.

• At discharge, patients shall be referred only to those skilled nursing care facilities, intermediate care facilities, personal care facilities or foster homes which are not known to the hospital to be in noncompliance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (43 P.S. §§ 951-963). The hospital shall report immediately to the Compliance Office of the Department of Health all instances of post-hospital discriminatory practices experienced by patients referred by the hospital when such practices are brought to the attention of the hospital.

• All training programs and opportunities offered by the hospital shall be open to qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual preference, religion, ancestry, age, handicap or disability; and recruitment efforts for these shall include sources having potential racial minority applicants.

Click on the link below to view and print:

Statement of the Patient's Rights, Responsibilities and Privacy Notice