Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Federal and state law provides for specific patient rights. At Saints Medical Center, we recognize our responsibility to respect these rights and to inform you of them. Because we want you to know your rights as a patient, we provide below a condensed version of the Massachusetts Patients’ Bill of Rights.

Your Rights as a Patient
• You have the right to obtain the name and specialty of the doctor or other person responsible for your care.
• You have a right to confidentiality of all records and communications concerning your medical history and treatment to the extent provided by law.
• You have a right to a prompt response to all reasonable requests.
• You have a right to request and receive an explanation to the relationship, if any, of this hospital and your doctor to any other health care facility or educational institution insofar as any such relationship relates to your care.
• You have a right to request and receive a copy of any rules and regulations, which apply to your conduct as a patient.
• You have a right to request and receive information about financial assistance and free health care.
• You have a right upon request to inspect your medical records and, for a reasonable fee, to receive a copy.
• You have a right to refuse to be observed, examined or treated by students or any other staff without jeopardizing your access to care.
• You have a right to refuse to participate as a research subject.
• You have a right to the extent reasonably possible to privacy during medical treatment or other care.
• You have a right to prompt life-saving treatment without discrimination due to economic status or source of payment.
• You have a right to informed consent to the extent provided by law.
• You have a right to request and receive an itemized explanation of your hospital bill.
• You have a right, if refused treatment because of economic status or lack of source of payment, to prompt and safe transfer to another facility.

If you would like a copy of the complete law, or have questions about your rights as a patient, please call the Customer Service Department at 978-458-1411, ext. 8343.

Additionally you may discuss any concerns with the Department of Public Health at 617-753-8000, the Board of Registration in Medicine at 617-654-9800, or the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations at 800-994-6610.

Your Responsibilities as a Patient
By taking an active role in your own health care, you can help your caregivers best meet your needs. That is why we ask you and your family to share in the following responsibilities with the hospital:

• To let us know your expectations about hospitalization and treatment
• To provide accurate, complete information about your present condition, past illnesses, previous hospital stays, medications you are taking (including any legal and illegal addictive substances) and any other matters relating to your health
• To ask questions when you don’t understand information or instructions, so that you can safely care for yourself when you leave the hospital or doctor’s office
• To report to your health care providers any unexpected changes in your medical condition
• To participate in treatment decisions, follow treatment recommendations and instructions, and inform your health care provider when you believe you cannot follow the prescribed treatment, so that we can provide the right plan of care for you
• To discuss with your caregiver what to expect regarding pain and pain management, and any worries you may have about taking pain medications
• To appoint a health care proxy and complete an advanced care directive, so that we can know what kind of care you wish to have, should you become unable to tell us
• To follow hospital rules and regulations affecting your care, including policies about controlling noise and no smoking
• To be considerate of Saints Medical Center staff and property, as well as other patients and their property
• To be honest about your financial needs so that we may connect you to resources that can help you cover your medical expense and fulfill your financial obligations to the hospital