Patient Rights

As a patient at Southwest General, you have certain rights, which reflect our commitment to serving you and providing the highest quality of care available. Please know that the exercise of these rights will not alter the quality of care you receive.

As a patient, you have the right to:

Privacy/Security – You have the right:

To be treated with respect and in a manner that preserves your dignity.
To personal privacy.
To have your personal, financial and health information kept private. Please refer to Southwest General’s “Notice of Privacy Practices” for further information.
To access protective and advocacy services.
To be free from neglect, exploitation; and verbal, mental, physical and sexual abuse.
To request that visitors be restricted.

Access to Care – You have the right:

To receive care regardless of your race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, disability or manner of payment.
To request a second opinion, except in emergencies. Depending upon your individual insurance plan, this may or may not be at your own expense.
To change providers to another physician on the medical staff that you select and who has agreed to assume your care.
To request a written Discharge Plan.

Communication – You have the right:

To have a family member (or your representative) and your own physician, if requested, be informed of your admission.

Information – You have the right:

To know the name and professional status of all physicians and Health Center employees involved in your care.
To receive information in a manner you can understand.
To have information about your diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis.
To access and request an amendment to your medical record. (For a copy of your record, contact the Medical Records Department at 440- 816-8480.)
To receive a detailed explanation of facility charges, including an itemized bill for services received, if requested.

Your Medical Care – You have the right:

To participate in decisions regarding your care.
To refuse any and all treatments and procedures and to be informed of the consequences of that action.
To effective and timely pain management, be informed of pain relief measures, and have your report of pain respected.
To agree to, or refuse, to participate in research, investigation, or clinical trials without decreasing the quality of your care.
To provide Advance Directives: Living Will (designate your wishes for medical care) and/or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare (designate a decision- maker).
To know that restraints will be used only when medically necessary. They will not be used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation.

Cultural and Spiritual Values – You have the right:

To have your cultural and personal values, beliefs, and preferences respected.
To access pastoral and other spiritual services.

Share Concerns – You have the right:

To share a comment, complaint or suggestion regarding any aspect of your care. We encourage you to share these with any staff member, supervisor or department manager responsible for your care. If your issue cannot be resolved at the department level, you may contact the hospital’s Patient Relations Department by dialing 8954 from your bedside telephone or 440-816-8954 from an outside line. Your concern will be reviewed and appropriate steps will be taken. Concerns identified as a grievance will be investigated, with results reviewed by the Patient Grievance Committee. Upon completion of the review, a written response is provided which outlines the results of the review.
To contact DNV in one of the following ways:
MAIL: Attn: Hospital Complaints, DNV Healthcare USA Inc., 4435 Aicholtz Road, Suite 900, Cincinnati, OH 45245
FAX: 281-870-4818,
PHONE: 866-496-9647
E-MAIL: hospitalcomplaint@dnv.com
ONLINE: https://www.dnvhealthcareportal.com/patient-complaint-report
To contact the Ohio Department of Health at 800-342-0553 or write to the Ohio Department of Health, PCSU, 246 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215. Their website is: www.odh.ohio.gov.

As a patient, it is your responsibility to:

Provide Information

Give us complete and accurate information about your health, including your previous medical history and all the medications you are taking.
Inform us of changes in your condition or symptoms, including pain.

Speak Up!

Let us know if you don’t understand the information we give you about your condition or treatment.
Communicate your concerns to any employee as soon as possible – including any member of the patient care team, manager, administrator, or member of the Patient Relations Department.

Follow Instructions

Follow our instructions and advice, understanding that you must accept the consequences if you refuse.

Meet Financial Obligations

For information on financial assistance or to discuss payment arrangements, please contact our Patient Accounting Department at 844-530-1996.

Follow Rules and Regulations

Be respectful and considerate to others.
Leave your personal belongings at home, or have family members take all valuables and articles of clothing home while you are hospitalized.

The hospital is not responsible for patient belongings.