The entire NMC staff is committed to making your stay as pleasant and as comfortable as possible. To that end, we have established a formal program to ensure that should you have any needs or concerns during your stay that your voice will be heard.

Patient rights

Northwestern Medical Center recognizes and respects the rights and individuality of each of our patients, infants, children, adults, and the elderly. In keeping with this, our policies reflect the following patient rights:

You have the right to considerate and respectful care at all times and under all circumstances with recognition of your personal dignity

You have the right to have an attending physician who is responsible for coordinating your care and to know his/her name.

You have the right to obtain, from the physician coordinating your care, complete and current information concerning diagnosis, treatment, and any known prognosis in terms you can understand. If you consent, or are unable to understand, an immediate family member, a reciprocal beneficiary, or a guardian may also obtain this information.

You have the right to receive from your physician information necessary to give informed consent prior to the state of any procedure or treatment, or both. Such information for informed consent should include but not necessarily be limited to the specific procedure or treatment or both, the medically significant risks involved, and the probable duration of incapacitation.

You have the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. You shall be informed of the medical consequences of refusing treatment and the hospital shall be relieved of any further responsibility for that refusal.

You have the right to every consideration of privacy concerning your own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment are confidential and shall be conducted discreetly. Those not directly involved in your care must have the permission of the patient to be present. This includes the right, upon request, to have a person of one’s own sex present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment or procedure performed by a health care professional of the opposite sex; and the right not to remain disrobed any longer that is required. You have the right to wear appropriate personal clothing and religious or other symbolic items so long as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment.

You have the right to expect all communications and records pertaining to your care shall be treated as confidential. Only medical personnel, or individuals under the supervision of medical personnel, directly treating you or those persons monitoring the quality of that treatment, or researching the effectiveness of that treatment, shall have access to your medical records. Others may have access to those records only with your written authorization.

You have the right to expect that within its capacity a hospital shall respond reasonably to your request for services. The right shall include if physically possible a transfer to another room or place if another person in that room or place is disturbing the patient by smoking or other unreasonable actions. When medically permissible a patient may be transferred to another facility only after receiving complete information and explanation concerning the needs for and alternatives to such transfer. The institution to which you are to be transferred must first accept you for transfer.  

You have the right to know the identity and professional status of individuals providing you service and to know which provider is primarily responsible for your care. You have the right to know of the existence of any professional relationship among individuals who are treating you, as well as the relationship to any other health care or educational institutions involved in your care.

You have the right to be advised if the hospital proposes to engage in human experimentation affecting your care or treatment. Participation in clinical training programs or in the gathering of data for research purposes shall be voluntary. You have the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.

You have the right to expect high quality health care treatment and services regardless of your age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression., educational background or source of payment for your bill.

You have the right to the most appropriate medical treatment available, delivered in a safe, considerate, and respectful manner.

You have the right to make, review and revise advance directives that guide your healthcare providers by informing them of your treatment preferences if you cannot speak for yourself.

You have the right to appoint someone as your agent to speak for you regarding your treatment preferences if you cannot speak for yourself.

You have the right to express concerns relating to your care and safety as outlined in the Patient Relations section of this poster.

You have the right to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in the course of your care.

You have the right to information on any research or educational projects affecting your care or treatment and the right to refuse to participate in such activity.

You have the right to have access to the information contained in the patient’s medical record, within the limits of the law.

You have the right to consult a specialist at your request and expense.

You have the right to be free from mental, physical, sexual and verbal abuse, neglect and exploitation.

You have the right to access protective and advocacy services.

You have the right to have a designated representative exercise these rights on your behalf if you are judged to be incompetent, medically incapable of understanding, unable to communicate, or are a minor.

You have the right to have your cultural and personal values, beliefs, and preferences respected.

You have the right to the accommodation of your religious and other spiritual services.  

Patient responsibilities

As a patient at Northwestern Medical Center, you have the following responsibilities:

You have the responsibility to provide the hospital with all information necessary to the administration of your care. This information includes your past medical history, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to your health, as well as financial and health insurance information necessary for processing your bill.

You have the responsibility to keep your appointments at the hospital and to telephone when you cannot keep them.

You have the responsibility to cooperate with those involved in your care, and to respect and follow reasonably administered instructions from them.

You have the responsibility to communicate with those involved in your care, including asking questions if medical instructions are not clear to you and reporting unexpected changes in your condition.

You have the responsibility to be considerate of other patients, and to see that your visitors are as well. Particular attention should be paid to rules relating to visiting, noise, smoking, and the use of personal electrical appliances.

You have the responsibility to assure that the financial obligations of your care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

 

Patient Relations

The entire NMC staff is committed to making your stay as pleasant and as comfortable as possible. To that end, we have established a formal program to ensure that should you have any needs or concerns during your stay that your voice will be heard. We welcome all suggestions or expressions of concern, as they assist us both in meeting your needs and those of future patients. If you have any needs or concerns during your stay, please bring them to the attention of your nurse or physician immediately. You are also welcome to contact our Chief Executive Officer regarding a concern. If you want to express a complaint or discuss your situation with someone outside Northwest­ern Medical Center, you should contact:

 

Patient Complaint Contact Information:

NMC Patient Relations
Quality Department
133 Fairfield St.
St. Albans, VT  04578  

Contact us by phone:  (802) 524-8875
Email our Patient Relations Department at: [email protected].
 
 
Agency of Human Services
Division of Licensing and Protection
By email: **Preferred Method**

[email protected]

By FAX: 802-241-0383

Call Toll Free: 1-888-700-5330

By US Mail: 

Survey and Certification Complaint Intake

Division of Licensing and Protection

HC 2 South 

280 State Drive

Waterbury, VT 05671-2060 

 

Vermont Department of Health
Vermont Board of Medical Practice
108 Cherry Street
PO Box 70 Burlington, Vermont 05402
1-802-657-4220

 

Office of Quality and Patient Safety 
Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
www.jointcommission.org/resources/patient-safety-topics/report-a-patient-safety-concern-or-complaint/

 

A Patient Satisfaction Survey may be sent to your home after you have been discharged. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and return the postage paid form at your convenience. We want your feedback.