As a patient or parent of a minor patient it is important to know the rights you have under federal and California state law. If, at any point in your care, you feel your rights are not being served, you can express your concerns confidentially with one of our patient advocates at ext. 62285.

Patient Rights

You have the right to:

1. Receive kind and respectful care, be made comfortable, and have caregivers respect your cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs and preferences.
2. Have a family member (or other representative of your choosing) and your own doctor notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
3. Know the name of the doctor who has primary responsibility for coordinating your care and the names and professional relationships of other doctors and caregivers who will see you.
4. Receive information about your health status, course of treatment, prospects for recovery and outcomes of care (including unexpected outcomes) in terms you can understand. You have the right to effective communication and to take part in developing and implementing your plan of care. You have the right to participate in ethical questions that arise in the course of your care, including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative services, and forgoing or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.
5. Make decisions regarding medical care, and receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as you may need in order to give informed consent or to refuse a course of treatment. Except in emergencies, this information shall include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved, other courses of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each, and the name of the person who will carry out the procedure or treatment.
6. Request or refuse treatment, to the extent permitted by law. However, you do not have the right to demand inappropriate or medically unnecessary treatment or services. You have the right to leave the hospital even against the advice of physicians, to the extent permitted by law.
7. Be advised if the hospital/personal doctor proposes a clinical study affecting your care or treatment. You have the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.
8. Reasonable responses to any reasonable requests made for service.
9. Appropriate assessment and management of your pain, information about pain, relief measures and to participate in pain management decisions. You may request or reject the use of any or all modalities to relieve pain, including opiate medication. The doctor may refuse to prescribe the opiate medication, but if so, must inform you that there are doctors who specialize in the treatment of severe chronic intractable pain.
10. Formulate advance directives. This may include designating a decision maker. Hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital shall comply with your directives. All patient’s rights apply to the person who has legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on your behalf.
11. Have personal privacy respected. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. You have the right to be told the reason for the presence of any individual. You have the right to have visitors leave prior to an examination and when treatment issues are being discussed.
12. Confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to your care and stay in the hospital. You will receive a separate “Notice of Privacy Practices” that explains your privacy rights in detail and how we may use and disclose your protected health information.
13. Receive care in a safe setting, free from mental, physical, sexual or verbal abuse and neglect, exploitation or harassment. You have the right to access protective and advocacy services including notifying government agencies of neglect or abuse.
14. Be free from restraints and seclusion used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.
15. Reasonable continuity of care and to know in advance the time and location of appointments as well as the identity of the persons providing the care.
16. Be informed by the doctor, or a delegate of the doctor, of continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital. Upon your request, a friend or family member may be provided this information also.
17. Know hospital rules and policies.
18. Designate visitors of your choosing, if you have decision-making capacity, whether or not the visitor is related by blood or marriage, unless:
    1.  No visitors are allowed.
    2. The facility reasonably determines that the presence of a particular visitor would endanger the health or safety of a patient, a member of the health facility staff or other visitor to the health facility, or would significantly disrupt the operations of the facility.
    3. You have told the health facility staff that you no longer want a particular person to visit.
       However, a health facility may establish reasonable restrictions upon visitation, including restrictions upon the hours of visitation and number of visitors.
19. Examine and receive an explanation of the hospital’s bill regardless of the source of payment.
20. Exercise these rights without regard to sex, economic status, educational background, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation or marital status or the source of payment for care.
21. File a grievance. If you want to file a grievance with this hospital, you may do so by writing or calling City of Hope National Medical Center, Patient Advocate, 1500 E. Duarte Rd., Duarte, CA 91010, Phone 626-256-HOPE (4673), extension 62285.
    The grievance committee will review each grievance and provide you with a written response. The written response will contain the name of a person to contact at the hospital, the results of the grievance process, and the date of completion of the grievance process. Concerns regarding quality of care or premature discharge will also be referred to the appropriate Utilization and Quality Control Peer Review Organization (PRO).
22. File a complaint with the state Department of Health Services regardless of whether you use the hospital’s grievance process. Such complaints may be filed by writing or calling the Health Facilities Division, Hospital and Ancillary Services Unit, 5555 Ferguson Drive Suite 320, Commerce, CA  90022, Phone 323-869-8207.

Patient Responsibilities

1. You are responsible for providing complete and correct information about your medical history and current health condition. You are responsible for reporting changes in your condition. You are also responsible for reporting any concerns that you may have about the safety of your care.
2. It is important to follow the instructions of your doctor and care team. If you cannot follow your care instructions, you should discuss it with a member of your care team.
3. You are responsible for keeping your appointments and letting your doctor know when you are not able to keep them.
4. You are responsible for financial costs relating to your care. These costs must be paid in a timely manner.
5. You are expected to follow hospital rules about care and conduct. Please respect the rights and property of hospital staff and other patients. You are also expected to follow hospital rules such as those regarding noise, smoking and visitation.
6. You or your representative should tell the hospital if you have an advance directive. If you have one, please bring a copy to the Admitting Office. At the time of admission, we will need to know the identity of your agent and the general nature of your preferences for your care. A clinical social worker can help you prepare an advance directive if you have not done so.
7. You are responsible for asking questions when you do not understand what you have been told about your medical care or what is expected of you. Asking questions will help your care team provide the safest possible care.

Medical Care for Those Who Cannot Afford to Pay
This health care facility receives funding as a result of Proposition 99 – the Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act of 1988. These funds are to be used for the provision of services free or at a reduced charge to persons who cannot afford to pay for medical care. If you are unable to pay for all or part of the care you need, you may contact Patient Business Services to ask about the availability of such care. If you would like further information, you may call the County of Los Angeles, Private Sector Coordinator’s Office at 323-00890-7521.

Financial Assistance Program
Consistent with its mission, City of Hope provides free or reduced cost medical services to persons who are unable to pay for their care. Please discuss your individual needs with a City of Hope financial counselor in Financial Support Services, extension 62715. Upon completion of a Financial Assistance Application Form, along with the submission of all required documents, you may be eligible for financial assistance as defined by the City of Hope Indigent Care Policy.