Patient Rights
As a Patient, You Have the Right To:
Safety and Quality of Care
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Receive considerate, respectful care from your healthcare providers, free from discrimination.
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Receive care in a clean and safe environment.
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Have your privacy respected during personal care and your personal health information kept confidential.
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Have your spiritual, cultural, and religious needs acknowledged and supported, including access to Spiritual Care services if desired.
Communication
- Know the members of your healthcare team, including their names and roles.
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Receive information about your diagnosis, treatment options, and plan of care in a way that is understandable to you.
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Request language interpretation services when needed.
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Participate in decisions about your care, treatment, discharge planning, and placement options.
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Identify family members, caregivers, care partners, or substitute decision-makers who may be involved in your care.
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Have a person with Power of Attorney or another legally authorized decision-maker speak on your behalf if you are unable to make your own decisions.
Choice and Participation
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Ask questions and be involved in decisions regarding your care.
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Accept or refuse treatment, as permitted by law.
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Access or request a copy of your health record, subject to applicable legislation.
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Share compliments, concerns, or suggestions about your care and experience.
To request a copy of your health record, please contact:
Health Records Office
As a Patient, You Have a Responsibility To:
Safety and Quality of Care
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Treat healthcare providers, staff, volunteers, patients, and visitors with courtesy and respect.
- Respect the privacy and confidentiality of other patients, staff, and visitors in the hospital.
- Keep track and look after your own property and valuables.
- Report any safety concerns to a member of your healthcare team.
- Understand that the needs of other patients may sometimes require more immediate attention.
- Participate in safety measures such as handwashing, falls prevention, medication safety, and public health requirements.
Communication
- Ask if you do not know who someone on your care team is or what their role is.
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Ask questions if you do not understand information about your care or treatment.
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Let your healthcare team know if you require accessibility supports, interpretation services, or a support person.
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Participate in your care and treatment plan to the best of your ability.
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Provide complete and accurate information about your health and medical history.
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Understand that not all requested treatments may be medically appropriate or available.
Choice and Participation
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Provide information about your substitute decision-maker or Power of Attorney if one has been appointed.
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Share relevant documents with your healthcare team to support care planning and decision-making if you become unable to communicate your wishes.
Questions, Concerns, and Feedback
We encourage patients and families to ask questions, raise concerns, and provide feedback about their care experience.
If you have questions about your rights and responsibilities, please speak with a member of your healthcare team or contact our Patient Experience Office: PatientRelations@BrockvilleGeneralHospital.ca
Your feedback helps us improve the care and services we provide to patients, families, and our community.
At Brockville General, we take the rights and responsibilities of patients very seriously and work toward upholding a respectful, dignified and positive experience for everyone involved in a patient's care. That's why we have developed the Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
The Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
As a patient of Brockville General, you have:
THE RIGHT TO:
Safety/Quality of Care
- Considerate, respectful care from your doctors and other health care providers, free from discrimination.
- Privacy in personal care and confidentiality in information.
- Have spiritual and cultural needs addressed, including having a spiritual care provider as a member of your inter-professional healthcare team.
- Clean and safe environment.
Communication
- Know the members of your healthcare team, including their names and roles.
- Assistance and easily understood information about your diagnosis, and plan of care. Language translation service can be provided.
- Participate in goal setting and choices being made about your treatment, care, discharge planning, and placement options.
- Have family members and persons with Power of Attorney speak up for you and if you are unable to make your own decisions.
Choice
- To accept, ask for, or refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law.
- To read or copy your own medical record, subject to legislation, in the presence of your healthcare provider. To obtain a copy of your health records, contact our Health Records office at BGHPrivacy@BrockvilleGeneralHospital.ca.
- Provide compliments and share concerns regarding the care you received.
A RESPONSIBILITY TO:
Safety/Quality of Care
- Treat your healthcare team and other patients and visitors with respect.
- Respect the privacy of other patients, staff, and visitors in the hospital.
- Keep track and look after your own property and valuables.
- Report any safety concerns.
- Understand that the needs of other patients may sometimes be more urgent than your own.
- Participate in safety activities such as handwashing, falls prevention, medication safety, and public health measures/requirements.
Communication
- Ask if you do not know who someone on your care team is or what their role is.
- Take part in your treatment plan to the best of your ability.
- Identify if you have a disability or need a support person.
- Understand that a treatment you ask for may not be provided if it is medically or ethically inappropriate.
- Be honest about your personal health information.
Choice
- For you or the person named Power of Attorney to provide documentation to your healthcare team, in case you become incapable of making treatment decisions for yourself.
If you have questions or concerns about your rights and responsibilities, please speak with any member of your healthcare team or contact our Patient Experience office at PatientRelations@BrockvilleGeneralHospital.ca.