Patient Rights & Responsibilities

The following list highlights some of the rights patients have, but it is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Every patient has the right to:

• considerate and respectful care
• be treated with dignity
• privacy and confidentiality concerning medical care and records
• a clear and understandable explanation of the nature of his or her illness, treatment plan, alternatives and prognosis
• participate in the planning of his or her care
• make choices and decisions prior to and during the course of treatment
• the information that is necessary to provide informed consent prior to a procedure or treatment
• refuse medical treatment and be informed of the medical consequences
• change physician or healthcare provider, if one is available
• coordination and continuity of care
• have an advanced directive concerning future treatment or designation of a surrogate decision maker
• receive, upon request, a copy of his or her medical record
• receive, upon request, information about fees or charges, and explanation of billing and the consequences of failing to pay a bill
• express a complaint or concern, and have it addressed promptly

Patient Responsibilities

At Mile Bluff Medical Center we believe that to achieve the highest level of healthcare satisfaction, patients and providers need to work together. To do this, patients also have certain responsibilities.

Patients have a responsibility to:

• provide up-to-date, accurate information about their health to members of Mile Bluff's healthcare team
• ask questions and ask for clarification in order to ensure they understand the prescribed treatment plans and medical conditions
• follow the treatment recommended by the medical team
• be considerate of other patients' rights and privacy
• meet the financial obligations to the medical facility

Patient Policies

Privacy Practices

Mile Bluff Medical Center is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information. We are also required have a notice available to you that describes our legal duties and privacy practices, as well as your privacy rights with respect to your health information. We follow the privacy practices described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.

We reserve the right to change the privacy practices described in this notice in the event that the practices need to be changed to be in compliance with the law. We will make the new changes effective for all the protected health information that we maintain.

If you have any questions about any part of this notice, or if you want more information about the privacy practices of Mile Bluff Medical Center, please contact:

Compliance Officer
Mile Bluff Medical Center
1050 Division Street
Mauston, WI 53948
608-847-2741

Quality & Safety

Below are just some of the steps employees at Mile Bluff Medical Center take in order to ensure patient safety.

• Using two patient identifiers - This is done by checking a patient's arm band whenever a lab sample is collected, medication is given, blood is transfused, or surgery is performed.
• Practicing proper hand hygiene - Employees use soap and water or alcohol-based gel to reduce the risk of spreading infection to patients.
• Avoiding the cause of drug-resistant infections - Employees make sure that no inappropriate medications are used to treat a patient's condition.
• Ensuring a patient's privacy - Employees follow HIPAA laws and take precautionary steps to protect your personal health information.
• Helping patients find assistance - If a patient needs further assistance, employees will help connect patients with additional resources.

If you would like to talk to someone about your experience at Mile Bluff, you are encouraged to:

• Speak with your nurse or healthcare provider directly
• Ask to speak with the charge nurse or director of the department
• Contact the Director of Quality Improvement
• Share your comments if you receive a patient satisfaction survey in the mail
• Ask to speak to a member of the executive team or administration
• Contact the Wisconsin Division of Quality Assurance at 800-642-6552
• Contact the Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org or fax a concern to 630-792-5636.