Advance Directive
Your right as a patient is to prepare an advance directive (living will). You will be asked is you have an advance directive when you are admitted to the hospital. If you have an advance directive, please share it with your doctor and your hospital staff.
If you would like more information about advance directives or other healthcare decisions, such as an organ donation, please call the Health Information Services at (386) 917-5030.
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Patient Safety
Preventing Patient Falls
Patients, family and friends should all be aware that anyone on medication or recovering from surgery or treatment might be
subject to falling if proper precautions are not taken.
Patients:
1. Use your call light for help.
2. Wear shoes or socks that have double-sided, nonskid or non-slip bottoms when you are out of bed.
3. Call for help and wait for the nurse or other nursing staff if you feel weak or dizzy when you need to get up.
4. In the bathroom, use the pull cord and wait for the nurse or other nursing staff if you feel weak or need help.
5. Tell the nursing staff about any spills on the floor, anything that blocks the walking area or broken furniture.
6. If you are connected to tubes, ask the nurse or other nursing staff for help to get out of bed.
7. Ask the staff or your family and friends to make sure the bed table, call light and phone are close to you.
8. Do not lean on the bedside table – it will roll.
9. Family and friends may be asked to stay with you or the hospital may have a sitter in the room, if needed, for your safety.
Family and Friends:
10. Some people become confused in the hospital, even if they were not confused at home. If you notice periods of confusion or changes in the patient, please tell the nurse or charge person.
Confusion may be caused by:
• A change from the usual place
• A change in the people around them
• A change in routine
• The person’s illness or medications
Following just a few simple precautions can prevent falls in the hospital.
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Rights & Responsibilites
A patient had the right to:
• Be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of his/her
individual dignity, and with protection of his/her need for privacy.
• Receive a prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests.
• Know who is providing medical services and who is responsible
for his/her care.
• Know what patient support services are available, including whether
an interpreter is available if he/she does not speak English.
• Know what rules and regulations apply to his/her conduct.
• Be given by his/her health care provider information concerning diagnosis,
planned course of treatment, alternative risks and prognosis.
• Refuse treatment, except as otherwise provided by law.
• Be given, upon request, full information and necessary counseling on
the availability of known financial resources for his care.
• Know, upon request, in advance of treatment, and if eligible for Medicare,
whether the health care Facility accepts the Medicare assignment rate.
• Receive, upon request, prior to treatment, a reasonable estimate of
charges for medical care.
• Receive a copy of reasonably clear and understandable, itemized
bill and, upon request, to have charges explained.
• Impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations, regardless of
race, national origin, religion, physical handicap or source of payment.
• Treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from
failure to provide treatment.
• Know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental research and
to give his/her consent or refusal to participate in such experimental
research.
• To have pain managed as individually and effectively as possible.
• Express grievances regarding any violation of his/her rights, as stated in
Florida law, through the grievance procedure of health care provider or
health care facility, which served him/her, and to the appropriate state-
licensing agency.
A patient is responsible for:
• Providing to his health care provider, to the best of his/her knowledge,
accurate and complete information about present complaints, past
illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to
his/her health.
• Reporting unexpected changes in his/her condition to his/her health
care provider.
• Reporting to the health care provider whether he/she comprehends a
contemplated course of action and what is expected of him/her.
• Following the treatment plan recommended by the health care provider.
• Keeping appointments and, when he/she is unable to do so for any
reason, notifying the health care provider or health care facility.
• His/Her actions if he/she refuse treatment or does not follow the health
care provider’s instructions.
• Assuring that the financial obligations of his/her health care are fulfilled
as promptly as possible.
• Following health care facility rules and regulation affecting patient
care and conduct.
Download Patient‘s Bill of Rights (English)
Download Patient‘s Bill of Rights (Spanish)
Filing Complaints:
If you have a complaint against a hospital or ambulatory surgical center, call the Consumer Assistance Unit Health facility hotline at 1-850-487-3183 or 1-888-419-3456 or write to:
Agency for Health Care Administration
Consumer Assistance Unit
2727 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32310
If you have a complaint against a physician, call the Medical Quality
Assurance, Consumer Services office at 1-850-414-7209 or write:
Agency for Health Care Administration
Medical Quality Assurance
Consumer Services
2727 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32310
To check on the status of complaints call 1-888-419-3456.
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