Patients and visitors

Bill of Rights

Samaritan Healthcare supports the following patient’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and is in compliance with the federal HIPAA guidelines.

  1. You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times regardless of age, gender, disability, ethnic, religious or economic diversity.
  2. You have the right to have a family member or representative and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
  3. You have the right to privacy concerning your own medical care program, by knowing the identity of doctors, nurses and others involved in your care.
  4. You have the right to refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the hospital, including visitors or persons officially connected with the hospital but not directly involved in your care.
  5. You have the right to obtain from your physician, in a way you understand, complete and current information concerning your diagnosis, what you can reasonably expect from your treatment and any long-term effects it might have on your quality of life. When it is not medically advisable to give you such information, the information will be made available to an appropriate person on your behalf.
  6. You have the right to participate in decisions involving your health care whenever possible, including ethical, end of life, and resuscitation issues, and other decisions that may arise.
  7. You have the right to receive from your physician the benefits and risks to any procedure and/or treatment prior to giving your consent. You have the right to refuse to participation in research studies.
  8. You have the right to information about pain and pain relief measures.
  9. You have the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
  10. You have the right to receive a Notice of Privacy Practices that describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
  11. You have the right to receive information regarding advance directives upon admission. In order to be in compliance with the Federal Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) passed by Congress in 1990, Samaritan Healthcare asks at the time of registration, all patients over the age 18, if an advance directive has been drafted. If you present an advance directive to us when you register, this information will be maintained in your medical records. If you have not completed an advance directive and want information, we will provide it to you. You are not required to have an advance directive to receive medical care.
  12. You have the right to expect that, within its capacity, Samaritan will make a reasonable response to your request for services. The hospital will provide evaluation, service, and/or referral as indicated by the urgency of the case. When medically permissible, you may be transferred to another facility only after you have received complete information and explanation concerning the need for and alternatives to such a transfer. The institution to which you are being transferred must first accept you. Your health plan could have network or admission requirements.
  13. You have the right to be interviewed and examined in surroundings designed to assure reasonable visual and auditory privacy.
  14. You have the right to receive care in a safe setting, to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment, and to be free from any form of restraints that are not medically necessary. Be placed in protective privacy when considered necessary for personal safety. Request a transfer to another room if another patient or a visitor in the room is unreasonably disturbing you.
  15. You have the right to obtain information as to any relationship of this hospital to other health care and educational institutions insofar as your care is concerned. You have the right to obtain information as to the existence of any professional relationships among individuals, by name, which are treating you.
  16. You have the right to expect reasonable continuity of care. You have the right to know, in advance, what appointment times and physicians are available and where. You have the right to expect that the hospital will provide a mechanism whereby your physician or a delegate of the physician informs you of your continuing health care requirements following discharge.
  17. You have the right to understand the financial consequences of using uncovered services or out-of-network providers.
  18. You have the right to request and receive information about financial assistance available through the hospital.
  19. You have the right to examine and receive an explanation of your bill, regardless of source of payment.
  20. You have the right to know what hospital rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient.
  21. You have the right to be informed about our mechanism for initiation, review, and resolution of patient complaints and grievances, (you may also report your concerns to the Washington state Department of Health at 800-633-6828). Medicare beneficiaries have the right to request information on the grievance process by contacting a Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). You have the right to know that the nature and quality of care will not differ if you have a complaint or grievance against the system or a health care provider.
  22. You have the right to speak with our Customer Service Department if you think your rights are not respected. The Customer Service Department can be reached at 509-765-5606, ext. 9609.

Patient Responsibilities:

  1. To provide written consent to, or refusal of, treatment and/or procedures as requested by physicians and/or hospital personnel.
  2. To provide the hospital with information about past illnesses, surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, past allergic reactions and other matters relating to your health.
  3. To cooperate with all hospital personnel involved in your care and treatment and to actively participate as much as possible in decisions regarding your care.
  4. To follow your physician’s advice and instructions and not take any drugs which have not been prescribed by your attending physician and administered by personnel.
  5. To follow the Hospital’s rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
  6. To assume full responsibility to pay for all services rendered by the hospital, either through third-party payors (your insurance company) or through your own financial resources.
  7. To be considerate of Samaritan Healthcare staff and other patients and their property.
  8. To provide a copy of an Advance Directive (i.e., Living Will or Power of Attorney for Health Care) if you have completed one.

Back to top.