As a patient at Lapeer Regional Medical Center, you have the following rights and responsibilities:

• Prompt Notification of Admission. A patient is entitled to have a family member (or representative your choice) and your personal physician promptly notified of your admission. You may designate a representative to exercise your rights.
• No Discrimination. A patient will not be denied appropriate care on the basis on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, handicap, marital status, sexual preference, or source of payment.
• Inspection of Medical Records. An individual who is or has been a patient is entitled to inspect, or receive for a reasonable fee, a copy of his/her medical record upon request. A third party shall not be given a copy of the patient’s medical record without prior authorization from the patient.
• Confidentiality of Records. A patient is entitled to confidential treatment of personal and medical record. A third party shall not be allowed to access personal or medical records, without prior authorization from the patient, except as allowed or required by law. A patient or former patient may:
  • Inspect, or receive for a reasonable fee, a copy of his/her medical record upon request;
  • Restrict release of personal or medical records to a person outside the Medical Center, except as required for transfer of care to another health facility or provider, as allowed or required by law or third party payment contract;
  • Request amendment or his/her personal or medical records; or
  • Request an account of disclosures of his/her medical records as permitted by law.
• Privacy. A patient is entitled to privacy, to the extent feasible, in treatment and in caring for their personal needs, and to consideration, respect and full recognition of his/her dignity and individuality.
• Pain Control. A patient is entitled to adequate and appropriate pain control and should inform their physician or nurse if pain is not adequately relieved.
• Transfer. A patient is entitled to request a transfer to a different room if another patient or visitor in the room is unreasonably disturbing him/her and if another room is equally suitable for his/her care needs is available. A patient may not be transferred to another facility unless complete explanation of the need for the transfer is provided.
• Appropriate/Safe Care. A patient is entitled to receive adequate and appropriate care in a safe setting.
• Plan of Care. A patient is entitled to receive, from the appropriate individual with the Medical Center, information about his/her medical condition, proposed course of treatment and alternatives, and prospects for recovery, in terms that the patient can understand, unless harmful to the patient’s medical condition, as noted by the patient’s physician in the medical record. A patient is entitled to know who is responsible for providing his or her direct care and their professional status. The patient has the right to know the proposed change in professional staff responsible for their care. A patient is entitled to participate in decisions about his/her own plan of care.
• Advance Directives. A patient may formulate, review, or revise Advance Directives and may, as permitted by law, designate a representative decision maker if he/she is incapable of understanding a proposed treatment or procedure; is unable to communicate his/her wishes regarding care or has been determined incompetent in accordance with the law.
• Organ Donation. A patient is entitled to have the right to informed consent regarding organ donation.
• Refusal of Treatment. A patient is entitled to refuse care, treatment, or services, to the extent provided by law, and to be informed of the consequences of that refusal. However, when a refusal of treatment prevents the Medical Center or its staff from providing appropriate care according to ethical or professional standards, the relationship with the patient may be terminated upon reasonable notice.
• Exercise of Rights. A patient is entitled to exercise his/her rights as a patient and a citizen, free from resistance, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal. A patient’s civil and religious liberties, including the right to make independent personal decisions and the right to knowledge of available choices shall not be infringed, and the medical center shall encourage and assist in the fullest with possible exercise of these rights.
• Experimental Procedures. A patient is entitled to information concerning an experimental procedure or research/educational project proposed as a part of his/her care, and shall have the right to refuse to participate in the experiment or research without jeopardizing his/her continuing care.
• Financial Concerns. A patient is entitled to be informed of the source of the hospital’s reimbursement for services and any limitations which may be placed upon care. A patient is entitled to receive and examine an explanation of his/her bill, regardless of the source of payment, and to receive, upon request information regarding a financial assistance available through the medical facility.
• Bioethics. A patient is entitled to participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in his/her care or treatment.
• Private Communications. A patient is entitled to associate and have private communications and consultations with his/her physician, attorney, or any other person of his/her choice and to send and receive personal mail unopened on the same day it is received at the Medical Center or agency, unless medically contradicted as documented by the attending physician in the medical record. A patient may meet with, participate in and the activities of social, religious, and community groups at his/her discretion, unless medically contradicted as documented by the attending physician in the medical record.
• Freedom from Restraint and Abuse. A patient is entitled to be free from mental and physical abuse and from physical and chemical restraints, except those restraints authorized in writing by the attending physician for a specified and limited time, or as are necessitated by an emergency to protect the patient from injury to self or others.
• No Services by the Patient. A patient is entitled to be free from performing services for the Medical Center that are not an included form of therapeutic purposes in the plan of care.
• Information about the Medical Center. A patient or resident is entitled to information about the Medical Center’s policies and procedures relating to patient care and the patient complaint process, and may use them for initiation, review and resolution of patient complaints. A patient is entitled to know the relationship of the hospital to other persons and organizations providing your care.

• Medical History. A patient is responsible to provide, as appropriate, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about his/her present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, or other matters relating to their health. Patients and their families must report perceived risks in their care and unexpected changes in their condition. They can help the hospital understand their environment by providing feedback about service needs and expectations.
• Lack of Understanding. A patient is responsible to speak up and ask questions, when he/she does not understand the care, treatment, service or what he/she is expected to do.
• Following Instructions. A patient must follow the care, treatment, and service plan developed. He/she should express any concerns about his/her ability to follow the proposed care plan or course of care, treatment, and services. The Medical Center makes every effort to adapt the plan to the specific needs and limitations of the patient. When such adaptations to the care treatment, and service plan are not recommended, patients and their families are informed of the consequences of the treatment, and service alternatives and not following the proposed course.
• Accountability for Outcome. A patient and their family are responsible for the outcomes if they do not follow the care, treatment and service plan.
• Medical Center Rules and Regulations. A patient and their families must follow the hospital’s rules and regulations. A patient or resident and their families must be considerate of the Medical Center’s staff and property, as well as other patients and their property.
• Billing Information. A patient is responsible for providing the Medical Center with accurate and timely information concerning his/her sources of payment and ability to meet financial obligations.