Patient Rights

As a patient at Pikeville Medical Center, you possess the following rights:

• to be viewed as an individual with unique health care needs which will be responded to in a considerate and positive manner respective of your personal values, beliefs and dignity.
  
  
• to an individualized plan of care with consideration of the psychosocial, cultural, spiritual and personal values, beliefs or preferences that influence the perceptions of illness embraced by you and your family or significant others.
  
  
• to be consulted regarding your health care, to participate in ethical questions that arise in the course of your care and to accept or refuse treatment (to the extent permitted by law) after being informed of the expected benefits, potential discomforts, risks, alternative therapies and procedures to be followed. Refusal of treatment does not compromise your access to hospital services.
  
  
• to know the identity and professional status of those responsible for your care. This includes the association with any other healthcare or educational institutions involved in your care.
  
  
• to security, personal privacy and confidentiality of information, within the limits of the law.
  
  
• to designate representation if you are a minor, unable to communicate your wishes regarding treatment, medically incapable of understanding the proposed treatment or procedure, or determined to be legally incompetent.
  
  
• to optimal comfort measures provided with dignity, including, but not limited to, medication administration, spiritual counseling and nursing care.
  
  
• to receive appropriate information about and give informed consent prior to being involved/enrolled in any clinical research investigations or clinical trials.
  
  
• to be cared for in an environment and manner free from mental, physical, sexual and verbal abuse, neglect or exploitation.
  

**Each patient should receive a copy of patient rights at the time of admission. Continuous monitoring will be conducted to assure that no patient right is violated. Advance directives are encouraged upon admission.