Under Public Law 101-508, the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1991, you have certain rights and responsibilities when you enter any healthcare area. For your convenience, these rights and responsibilities are outlined below.

Your Rights

As a patient, you have the right to:

• Request or refuse treatment and be informed of the  medical consequences of this action. Requests for treatment that are medically necessary,  appropriate, and available at Black Hills Surgical Hospital shall be honored.
• Be involved in developing your plan of care, including  treatment plan, pain management, and discharge planning.
• Receive quality treatment and care in a safe setting. Be treated with dignity and respect, without discrimination and receive prompt and courteous treatment.
• Practice your own cultural and spiritual beliefs that  do not interfere with the wellbeing of others.
• Have your privacy respected with communications and records confidential.
• Know the name and role of any person providing  services to you.
• Receive information needed in order to make informed decisions regarding your care in terms you can understand. This includes information about your medical status, diagnosis, recommended treatment, and  expected outcome.
• Be informed about the outcomes of your care, including unanticipated outcomes.
• Receive information and have a choice in treatment, referral, or transfer to a different facility if you choose or when recommended by  your physician.
• Receive information regarding your needs for  continuing care after discharge.
• Have access to your medical record and receive information  regarding charges and available payment methods.
• Have pain needs recognized and addressed promptly.
• Formulate Advance Directives concerning treatment or  designating a representative and have practitioners and staff provide care that  is consistent with these directives to the extent permitted by law.
• Have freedom from seclusion and restraints unless  clinically necessary.
• Contact a nurse manager or administrator if you have  a grievance or complaint concerning the quality of your care.
• Have a family member or representative and your  physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
• Receive the visitors you designate, including but not  limited to a spouse, domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another  family member, or a friend.
• Withdraw or deny consent for visitation at any time.
• Designate another person to be your representative in  making your healthcare decisions. This person shall have the same rights as  described for you in this brochure.

Your Responsibilities

As a patient, you and your family/designated representative/support  person(s) have the responsibility to:

• Respect the privacy of confidentiality of other  patients.
• Respect the rights of other patients and staff.
• Follow all Black Hills Surgical Hospital rules and  regulations pertaining to safety, smoking, noise, general conduct, and procedures.
  1. No Smoking
  2. No possession of firearms or other weapons on the  premises
  3. Maintaining acceptable noise levels and appropriate  general conduct for a hospital environment.
• Inform staff of all past illnesses, previous hospitalizations,  and current medications.
• If you have Advanced Directives, medical power of  attorney or similar document, provide a copy to Black Hills Surgical Hospital.
• Notify staff when you are in pain and assist with  your pain management.
• Follow the treatment plan established by you, your  physician, and health care providers.
• Inform your physicians and other caregivers if you  anticipate problems or do not have the resources necessary to follow prescribed  treatment.
• Be responsible for your own actions if treatment is  not followed and recognize the impact of your lifestyle choices on your personal  health.
• Request additional information or clarification about  your health status or treatment when you do not fully understand information and  instructions.
• Provide information concerning your ability to pay  for services rendered.
• Work with staff to provide for resources to assist  with your care after discharge.
• Inform staff of any complaints or grievances.

Visitation Rights

Black Hills Surgical Hospital supports patient’s rights to have their support  person(s) present and as such has few limitations on visitation.

BHSH does not allow visitors:

• Who engage in disruptive, threatening, or violent  behavior of any kind.
• In the operating room due to infection control risks  for all patients.
• In the post anesthesia care unit due to privacy  concerns and potential interference with care for all patients in this area.

There may be other instances when staff members ask  visitors to leave your room in order to provide care or to allow you to rest, but  all efforts will be made to allow the visitors to return as soon as possible  and to keep these situations to a minimum. Registered Nurses and physicians may  exercise their best clinical judgment in deciding if visitation should be restricted.  Best clinical judgment takes into account all aspects of your health and  safety, including the benefits of visitation on your care as well as potential  negative impacts that visitors may have on other patients in the hospital.

For your safety, it may be necessary to limit the  number of visitors due to space constraints in the area that you are being  cared for.

Generally, only one visitor may stay overnight in the  patient suite due to space constraints and in consideration for other patients.  Children under the age of 14 may not stay overnight unless accompanied by an  adult other than the patient.

Should you have a complaint or grievance, please see the patient complaint/grievance process, here.