Access to Care All patients have the right to:
- Access healthcare services regardless of race, religion, national origin, beliefs, values, language, age or disability
- Access emergency services regardless of the ability to pay
- Receive assistance to meet vision, speech, hearing, language, physical mobility and cognitive impairment needs, where necessary
- Receive care and services without unnecessary delay, and if there is a sign of delay in care, treatment and/or services, the patient, family, caregiver, or legal guardian shall be notified.
- Change physician and to transfer to another hospital as long as it is medically appropriate and feasible
- Seek a second opinion, without fear of compromise to their care, within or outside Hamad Medical Corporation
- Participate in research when medically appropriate
Patient Care
All patients have the right to:
- Be informed about the treatment and services prior to care
- Receive respectful and considerate care at all times and to maintain the patient’s personal dignity
- Participate in the development, implementation, and revision of their plan of care, treatment and services
- Make the decision to withhold or withdraw treatment if there is a terminal condition that includes a “Do Not Resuscitate” order
- Accept or refuse any and all drugs, treatments or procedures and to be informed of medical consequences of such refusal
- Be given an appropriate and effective grievance support mechanism
- Receive education that is appropriate to the patient’s age, cognitive level and patient care needs
- Know about options for organ or tissue donation, when relevant
- Receive timely pain assessment and management
- Be free from restraint or seclusion unless medically necessary
Research
All patients have the right to:
- Receive information about medical treatment which involves and may be used for purposes of research
- Give consent prior to participation in research
- Refuse to participate in research, with the assurance that care will not be adversely affected by such a refusal
Payment for Services
All patients have the right to:
- Be informed of the hospitals’ policies regarding payment, and to request, prior to treatment, an estimate of charges for medical care, if applicable
- Receive detailed explanation of their bill in a form that can be understood
Privacy and Confidentiality
All patients have the right to:
- Have physical privacy during medical examination and treatment
- Refuse to talk with or see anyone not related to his or her care including visitors or persons connected with the hospital but not directly involved in their care
- Have a person of one’s own gender present during certain parts of the physical examination, treatment or procedure
- Have their medical record read only by individuals directly involved in their care or as authorized
- Have all records pertaining to a patient’s medical care treated as confidential
- Have a family member or a family physician to be notified of his/her emergency admission to the hospital
- Amend their medical records or health information, as per Hamad Medical Corporation policies
- Select a family member or legal representative to be present during presentation of medical information
Access to Information and Communication
All patients have the right to:
- Be informed of the patient and family rights at the earliest possible moment in the course of his/her hospitalization or at time of outpatient department admission
- Know the name and specialty status of those caregivers directly providing care and/or service
- Have, upon request, access to additional information about the healthcare practitioner responsible for the care
- Have, upon request, access to all information contained in their medical records, unless access is specifically restricted by the attending physician and in consult with family representative, legal or surrogate guardian for medical reasons or is prohibited by law
- Receive information along with a family member or a surrogate decision maker if preferred by him/her about medical conditions, any confirmed diagnosis, planned care and treatments, process used to give consent if needed and their rights to participate in care decisions in a professional manner and in an understandable language by the concerned healthcare provider in a timely manner
Safety and Security
All patients have the right to:
- Receive care in a safe, secure and non-threatening environment
- Receive considerate and respectful care in a smoke-free environment
Quality of Service
All patients have the right to:
- Express a concern or a complaint regarding the quality of care, and/or service received
- Be informed of the hospitals’ mechanism for initiation, review and resolution of a complaint
Patient and Family Responsibilities
In order to receive the best possible care, the patient, the patient’s surrogate or legal guardian or family representative are required to:
- Provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about the patient’s condition, medical history including medications, and other matters relating to the patient’s health
- Report unexpected changes in the patient’s condition to the responsible healthcare provider
- Respect and follow Hamad Medical Corporation’s rules and regulations
- Respect restricted areas
- Follow the treatment plan recommended by the caregiver responsible for the patient’s care including the instruction of nurse or other caregivers
- Assume responsibility for his/her decision and its consequences should treatment be refused or not followed per the caregiver’s plan of care
- Ensure that the financial obligations are fulfilled as promptly as possible
- Respect other patient’s rights
- Refrain from smoking, control noise and limit the number of visitors according to Hamad Medical Corporation rules and regulations
- Respect the property of Hamad Medical Corporation and of other persons
- Keep follow-up appointments, and when unable to do so for any reason, call to cancel the appointment
- Ask questions if information provided is not understood
- Safeguard personal belongings by identifying valuables to Hamad Medical Corporation personnel
- Do not share medications with others
- Leave the hospital when officially discharged
- Respect the rights of Hamad Medical Corporation personnel, and treat them with due courtesy and respect
