As a patient of Heartland Regional, I have the right:

• To be called by my preferred name.
• To be greeted with courtesy and respect.
• To have a careful evaluation followed by courteous and prompt treatment.
• To know which doctors, nurses and other helpers will take care of me and what their names are.
• To have my basic needs met - to be clean, dry, comfortable, and without restraints whenever possible.
• To have my daily routine stay as normal as possible - to sleep without interruptions whenever possible, to have quiet times during the day, to go to the playroom whenever I am able.
• To have tests and procedures scheduled so I don't have to be hungry or thirsty any longer than necessary.
• To feel that my room is a safe place - free from procedures or tests that hurt me.
• To make choices whenever possible as long as they don't interfere with my medical care.
• To cry, make noise or object to anything that hurts me.
• To have my family members with me whenever they stay as long as it doesn't get in the way of my care.
• To have an interpreter for my family and me whenever possible and, if one isn't available, to have help for my family to find one.
• To be told what's happening to me and why and to have all my questions answered in words I understand.
• To know my illness is between me, and my family and the people caring for me and that it's no one else's business.
• To have people talk to me rather than whispering about me over my bed or out in the halls unless I know what's happening.
• To leave the hospital as soon as possible with instructions from my caretakers on how to keep me healthy at home.
• To utilize the Ethics Committee for ethical questions. Ask your nurse.

Patient Advocate Services

Our main goal is serving you, that is why we have a full-time patient representative available to talk with you or your family should you have any concerns or problems during your stay with us. For more information see Patient Advocate Services.

Pediatric Patient Bill of Rights

Heartland Regional Medical Center recognizes and respects that children have health care rights. Additionally, the health care team has the responsibility to provide prudent, competent care to infants, children, and adolescents who come to Heartland Regional Medical Center for treatment.Acts that violate the legal rights of children include:

Negligence - Deviation from accepted standards of care.

Assault - Intentionally threatening to harm an individual, coupled with the immediate ability to carry out the treatment.

Battery - Unconsented touching of another person that results in injury or offensive touching.

Abandonment - Unilateral termination of a health care provider-patient relationship by the health care provider.

Breach of confidentiality - Violation of a child's rights to privacy about his or her health condition.

Breach of duty to report - Information required by state law is not reported to the proper authorities.

Informed consent, assent, and permission for treatment must also be considered when treating children presented to the hospital in need of services.Informed consent from the child must be obtained from children who have reached the statutory age of majority as well as mature or emancipated minors. To obtain informed consent for treatment, the following information must be provided to the patient:

• The diagnosis or description of the health problem.
• The recommended treatment and its chances for success.
• The risks and benefits involved in the treatment.
• The risks and benefits of alternative or no treatment. Assent from the child means agreement or acceptance.

When a child assents to treatment, the child agrees or complies with the treatment plan. Health care providers should utilize age/developmentally-appropriate terminology to attempt to obtain assent from children old enough to communicate their wishes in addition to the caregiver's permission. Assent means that the child has:

• A developmentally appropriate understanding of the health problem.
• Been informed of the treatment and what will happen during that treatment.
• Demonstrated willingness to receive the treatment.Informed permission from the caregiver is obtained from the caregiver of infants and children.

Informed permission means that the caregiver understands the same bulleted information described in "Informed consent from the child."