Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Patient Rights

All patients and/or designated representatives have the following rights:

To be treated with dignity, compassion, courtesy and respect by all who provide services.
To receive care that is continuous, coordinated and administered in the appropriate setting, and which respects your personal values and beliefs.
To have nondiscriminatory access to treatment accommodations to the extent that they are available and medically necessary, regardless of gender identity, sex, race, color, creed, mental or physical disability, disease process, religion, national origin or source of payment for care.
To utilize any alternative means of communication, when medically indicated, for hearing or visually impaired patients, as well as obtaining a translator for patients who speak a language other than English.
To participate in and make informed decisions regarding your care.
To be informed about the outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes.
To receive current information on your diagnosis healthcare status, treatment, alternative choices, risks and prognosis to decide whether to accept or refuse available care.
To request or refuse treatments, medication or procedures and be informed of the medical consequences of your decision.
To participate or refuse to participate in medical research and to have any research fully explained to you.
To participate in ethical questions that arise in the course of your care, including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative services, forgoing or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and care at the end of life.
To receive appropriate assessment and management of pain.
To make healthcare directives and to have healthcare professionals honor the directives within the limits of the law and the hospital's mission, philosophy and capabilities.
To have a family member, support person, or other individual involved in treatment decisions or make healthcare decisions for you, to the extent permitted by law.
To utilize hospital resources, such as the patient relations representative, chaplains, social workers, financial counselors or Ethics Committee members, who can assist you with concerns and answer questions about your stay and care.
To participate in the development and implementation of his/her plan of care, to be actively involved in the development of a discharge plan including being informed of service options that are available and a choice of agencies that provide service.
To have a family member or representative and your physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
To request that information about your presence at St. Luke's not be made available to the public.
To know the identity and professional status of the people who are caring for you.
To decide who will/will not participate in your care: healthcare workers, family and others.
To choose a doctor other than the one who currently cares for you, at your request and expense.
To receive treatment and services that you need or request, that are within the ability of St. Luke's to provide. If St. Luke's cannot provide the service, you will be informed of the need to transfer to another facility and the alternatives to such a transfer.
To expect a reasonable response to requests for treatment/service.
To complain about treatment or care, have your complaints reviewed and resolved, if possible, without compromising your care or access to service.
To examine and receive an explanation of hospital charges.
To receive care in a safe setting.
To be free from any form of abuse or harassment.
To be free from restraints of any form that are not medically necessary.
To receive assistance in obtaining protective services.
To have personal possessions brought to the hospital reasonably protected.
To exercise the following rights regarding your health information:
- Be assured personal privacy, security and the appropriate confidentiality of your personal medical records;
- Access information in your medical record and to receive photocopies for a reasonable fee;
- Request restrictions on the way we use your medical information;
- Request to receive information from us in a different way or manner;
- Review your medical information;
- Request that we amend your medical information;
- Know how we have used or disclosed your medical information;
- Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken;
- Obtain a paper copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices upon request.
To participate in patient visitation:
- To be informed of visitation rights, including any clinical restriction or limitation that the hospital may need to place on such rights and the reasons for the clinical restriction or limitation;
- To consent to receive designated visitors including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend, and his or her right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time;
- To ensure that all designated visitors have visitation privileges that are no more restrictive than those that immediate family members would enjoy;
- To not have visitation privileges restricted on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Patient Responsibilities

To take care of your health as best you can
To ask questions when you do not understand what you have been told about your care or what you are expected to do
To follow the treatment plan agreed upon by you and your doctor and to accept the results if you refuse recommended treatment
To make your choice known to responsible individuals
To give accurate and complete information about matters relating to your health
To tell your doctor and St. Luke's staff of any healthcare directives
To display considerate behavior toward other patients
To make sure the financial obligations of your care are fulfilled

Your satisfaction is a vital interest of ours in order to provide quality care. During your stay, please do not hesitate to tell us if you are not satisfied. We may be able to make changes immediately.

St. Luke's Hospital contact

Please contact your head nurse or St. Luke's Hospital patient relations representative at 314-205-6655 or pager number 314-559-9716.

St. Luke's Des Peres Hospital contact

Please contact your head nurse or St. Luke's Des Peres Hospital patient relations representative at 314-966-9625.