Patient Rights
As a patient at Backus Hospital, you have the right:
- To considerate, respectful and safe care, free from any form of discrimination, abuse or neglect.
- To receive information about your care and treatment in words you or your family can understand.
- To create Advance Directives, including a Living Will and to have those wishes respected.
- To know the names of the people taking care of you.
- To be involved in decisions about your care, treatment and services.
- To receive information necessary to give informed consent before the start of any procedure and/or treatment.
- To be informed about the outcomes of your care, including unanticipated outcomes.
- To receive information about pain and pain relief measures and to receive quick and appropriate response to complaints of pain.
- To expect that the Hospital will make a reasonable response, within its capacity, to your requests for medically indicated services.
- To refuse care, treatment and services to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the possible medical consequences of this refusal.
You and Backus Hospital are partners in your medical care and the Hospital encourages your active participation in your care.
- To privacy concerning your medical care and confidentiality concerning all communications and records pertaining to your care.
- To provide your consent for any recording or filming that is not made for your identification, diagnosis or treatment.
- To have access to your medical record in accordance with Hospital policy.
- To express any complaint about your care and have the Hospital review and, if possible, resolve your complaint within 7 days. Complaints or grievances may be filed during regular business hours by contacting the Patient Advocate at extension 6828.During other hours, please contact the Nursing Supervisor.
- To examine and receive an explanation of your bill, regardless of source of payment.
- To expect reasonable continuity of care.
- To receive information about the care you will need after you leave the Hospital.
- To obtain information about any professional relationship between the Hospital and other healthcare agencies and among any individuals treating you.
- To be advised if the Hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting your care or treatment and to refuse to participate in such research projects.
- To receive information about your responsibilities as a patient.
Your Right to Visitors
Backus Hospital welcomes visitors. In this section, you will find useful information about visiting a patient, such as visiting hours, where you can eat and how we can help you.
As a patient at The William W. Backus Hospital, you have the right to receive visitors during scheduled visiting hours. A visitor may be any person you (or your support person, where appropriate) designate.
A visitor may include, not be limited to:
- Spouse
- Domestic Partner (including same-sex domestic partner)
- Another family member
- Friend
You have the right to withdraw consent for any or all visitors at any time.
Backus Hospital does not restrict, limit or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Furthermore, all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences.
We may restrict visitation in order to protect the health and safety of you, your visitors and/or other patients. If we do, we will explain the reason for the restriction.
If you feel your visitation rights have been violated, you may file a complaint using the Hospital’s grievance system.
Please do not hesitate to ask questions or bring your concerns to the attention of your caregivers. We appreciate this opportunity to provide an outline of your rights as a patient. These rights are designed to help protect your interests and provide you with quality care.
Patient Responsibilities
As a patient at Backus Hospital, you have the responsibility:
- To follow Hospital rules and regulations.
- To give information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to your health.
- To tell your doctor or nurse if you are in pain; to ask what to expect regarding pain relief; and to talk with your doctor or nurse about any worries you may have about pain or pain medication.
- To cooperate with our staff, and to ask questions if you do not understand any instructions or information.
- To be considerate of other patients, guests and Hospital staff, and to see that your visitors are considerate as well.
- To keep your appointments or to call the Hospital if you must postpone them.
- To follow the treatment plan you and your doctor make and to report any changes in your condition.
- To take reasonable measures to protect your personal belongings.
- To be respectful of others’ property and the property of the Hospital.To fulfill the financial obligations of your healthcare.
Regardless of whether you have first used the Hospital’s grievance process, concerns may also be addressed to:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Complaint/Compliance Unit
Division of Health Systems Regulation
410 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06134
Phone: (860) 509-7400
TTY: (860) 509-7191
If you have any concern about patient care or safety in the hospital that you believe the hospital has not addressed, you are encouraged to contact The Joint Commission, the hospital’s accrediting agency, by contacting (800) 994-6610 (toll-free) or [email protected].