As a patient at Southampton Memorial Hospital, you have the right to:

• Considerate and respectful care.
• Be well informed about your illness, possible treatments and likely outcomes and to discuss this information with your doctor.
• Make informed decisions about your health care, participate in planning your care and treatment and request or refuse treatment as permitted by law.  If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.
• Know the names and roles of people treating you.
• Have an Advance Directive, such as a living will or health care proxy.  These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide if you cannot speak for yourself.  If you have a written Advance Directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your family and your doctor.  You have the right to expect hospital staff and doctors who provide care in the hospital to comply with your Advance Directives. 
• Privacy.  The hospital, your doctor and others caring for you will protect your privacy as much as possible.
• Expect that treatment records are confidential unless you have given permission to release information or reporting is required or permitted by law.  When the hospital releases records to others such as insurers, it emphasizes that records are confidential.
• File a grievance if you are not satisfied with your care or treatment.
• Be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
• Receive care in a safe setting.
• Review your medical records within a reasonable time frame after your request and to have information explained, except when restricted by law.
• Have a family member or representative of your choice and your own doctor notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
• Expect that the hospital will give you necessary health services to the best of its ability.  Treatment, referral or transfer may be recommended.  If transfer is recommended or requested, you will be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives.  You will not be transferred until the other institution and a physician agree to accept you.
• Consent or decline to take part in research affecting your care.  If you choose not to take part, you will receive the most effective care the hospital otherwise offers.
• Be free from restraints of any form that are not medically necessary or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.
• Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
• Know if this hospital has relationships with outside parties that may influence your treatment and care.  These relationships may be with educational institutions, other health care providers or insurers.
• Be told of realistic alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
• Know about hospital rules that affect you, your treatment and about charges and payment methods.  You have the right to know about hospital resources that can help you resolve problems and questions about your hospital stay and care.