Patent Rights at Blue Spring Surgery Center in Orange City, FL
The following list of patient rights is not intended to be all inclusive. Patients receiving care at our general surgery center have a right to:
- Be treated with respect, consideration, and dignity.
- Exercise these rights and be treated without regard to gender, race, cultural, economic, educational, or religious background, and without fear of discrimination or reprisal.
- Be treated in a safe environment that is free of physical or psychological threats.
- Expect that any architectural barriers identified will be addressed, and, whenever feasible, such barriers will be modified or corrected.
- Access communication aids (i.e. interpreters, sign language, etc.).
- Be provided appropriate privacy and confidentiality concerning their medical care - the patient has the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual directly involved or observing their care.
- Be free of restraint except when indicated to protect the patient or others from injury.
- Have their questions, concerns or complaints addressed in good faith.
- Expect continuity of care. The patient will not be discharged or transferred to another facility without prior notice, except in the case of a medical emergency and within the limits of legal regulations.
- Provisions for after-hour and emergency care.
- Access necessary surgical and/or procedural interventions that are medically indicated.
- Obtain any information they need to give informed consent before any treatment or procedure.
- Be provided, to the degree known, complete and timely information concerning their diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and prognosis. When it is medically inadvisable to give such information to a patient, the information is provided to a person designated by the patient or a legally authorized person.
- Make choices and decisions regarding their medical care to the extent permitted by law - this includes the right to refuse treatment.
- Formulate advance directives and appoint a surrogate to make health care decisions on their behalf to the extent permitted by law. The provision of the patient's care shall not be conditioned on the existence of an advance directive. (please see the center's policy on advanced directives below.)
- Have their disclosures and records treated confidentially, and given the opportunity to approve or refuse their release, except when release is required by law.
- Receive, on request, and at a reasonable fee established by the Health Information Management Department, a copy of their medical record.
- Know the services available at the organization.
- Know the facility fees for services.
- Request an itemized statement of all services provided to them through the facility, along with the right to be informed of the payment methodology utilized.
- At their own expense, to consult with another physician or specialist if other qualified physicians or dentists are requested and available.
- Be informed of patient conduct and responsibilities rules.
- Refuse to participate in experimental research.
- Know the identity, professional status, institutional affiliation and credentials pf health care professionals providing their care, and be assured that these individuals have been appropriately credentialed according to the policies of the center.
- Be informed of their right to change their provider if other qualified providers are available.
- Be provided with appropriate information regarding the absence of malpractice insurance coverage.
- Be informed about procedures for expressing suggestions, complaints, and grievances, including those required by state and federal regulations.
- Please be aware that your Doctor may have ownership in Blue Springs Surgery Center.
At the surgery facility
The staff will ask you to sign an Informed Consent form. What is informed consent? Informed consent means that you know how your condition will be treated. It means that you agree to the operation or treatment. It means that you understand the risks, That you know about other treatments available to you. And that you know what can happen if you aren't treated.
Read it carefully it lists:
- Your name & the kind of surgery you will have
- The risks of your surgery
- Your agreement to have the surgery
- Make sure everything on the form is correct.
- That you talked to your doctor about the surgery and asked questions
- Make sure all of your questions have been answered. If you do not understand something on the form - speak up. You will be asked to sign paper work after you agree to the treatment. You need to decide if you will sign or not sign the paper work only after you understand all that was explained to you.
For your safety, the staff may ask you the same question many times. They will ask:
- Who you are
- What kind of surgery you are having
- The part of your body to be operated on
- They will also double-check the records from your doctor's office.
Before your surgery
A health care professional will mark the spot on your body to be operated on. Make sure they mark only the correct part and nowhere else. This helps avoid mistakes. Marking usually happens when you are awake. Sometimes you cannot be awake for the marking. If this happens, a family member or friend or another health care worker can watch the marking. They can make sure that your correct body part is marked. Your neck, upper back, or lower back will be marked if you are having spine surgery. The surgeon will check the exact place on your spine in the operating room after you are asleep. Ask your surgeon if they will take a "time out" just before your surgery. This is done to make sure they are doing the right surgery on the right body part on the right person.
After your surgery
Tell your doctor or nurse about your pain. Hospitals and other surgical facilities that are accredited by The Joint Commission must help relieve your pain.
Blue Spring Surgery Center’s patients may request a more personalized estimate of charges and other information from our facility and other health care providers. Always contact your health care practitioner to insure that they participate within our network.