Patients, Visitors and Guests - Your Rights: Psychiatric Patients

Rights – Psychiatric Patients have the right:

To keep all the rights that are guaranteed by local, state and Federal law.
To receive tests or evaluations to help our staff plan for your treatment. Treatment should be given to you as quickly as possible. All tests and treatment should be explained to you in a way you can understand them.
To be treated with respect and care.
To not be given any experimental or investigational treatment unless you, your parent(s) or guardian(s) have agreed to it ahead of time, in writing, based on all of the available information.
To ask for another opinion from a private physician about your treatment. This will be at your or your guardian’s expense. Also if your treatment involves potentially dangerous results, you may ask for someone impartial to review it. In an emergency, however, this may not be possible.
To be given as much freedom as you can responsibly handle by our staff, within the limitations of your treatment program.
To be allowed to send and receive letter mail unless your doctor/therapist states in writing in your chart that this would be harmful to your treatment program.
To be allowed to have private telephone conversations with your family and friends unless your doctor/therapist believes this would be harmful to your treatment program.
To be able to have visits with your family and friends unless your doctor/therapist states in writing in your chart that, for treatment reasons, this would be harmful to your treatment program.
To refuse to be studied by physicians and scientists doing research projects and still receive the treatment you need.
To have and use your own personal clothing and other personal items unless your doctor/therapist states in writing in your record why possession of such things would be harmful to you or others.
To read your records with your doctor unless he believes that doing so could harm you.
To have someone impartial review the situation in due process. You also have the right to seek a lawyer at your or your guardian’s expense.
To appropriate assessment and management of pain.
To be free from seclusion and restraint, of any form, that are not medically necessary.

Responsibilities – Psychiatric Patients have the responsibility:

To provide accurate and complete information, to the best of your knowledge, about matters relating to your health. All patients and families are responsible for reporting perceived risks in their care and unexpected changes in the patient’s condition.
To notify your physician or the nurse manager that you do not understand and need further explanation concerning your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
To let your physician or nurse know if you are receiving too many visitors form outside the facility.
To respect the privacy of other patients.
To abide by the smoking policy of the facility where you are a patient.
To cooperated and follow the care prescribed for you.
To let us know if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your care or if you feel that any of your rights have been violated. You may do this through your physician, nurse manager or by calling the telephone number designated for this purpose at the facility in which you are a patient.
To meet your financial obligations to the hospital, realizing that your insurance is a contract between you and the insurance carrier. As a non-profit institution, Riverside depends upon income from patient accounts to maintain its financial stability and meet its obligations. A representative from our Business Office will be happy to answer your questions.
To let us know if you are in pain.