PatientInfoGuide - Flipbook - Page 16
Your Responsibilities as a Patient
As a patient at Southwestern Vermont Medical
Center, we ask that you:
• Provide the information we need to give you
the care, treatment, and services you need.
• Be an active partner in your care.
• Ask your doctor or other health care
professional if you have questions or concerns
about your treatment course or care decisions.
• Support mutual consideration and respect by
maintaining civil language and conduct in
interactions with staff and providers, other
patients, and visitors at all times.
• Follow instructions, policies, rules, and
regulations in place to support quality care
and a healthy and safe environment for all
individuals.
• Keep your appointments or phone us if you
are not able to.
• Meet your financial commitments.
The above rights and responsibilities are
extended to the parents or guardians for
patients who are minors (under age 18) and
to immediate family members or designated
person of your choice for patients who are
unable to understand this information.
Patient Advocacy Program
Hospital patient advocates are here to help you.
The hospital experience can be confusing and
stressful. Communication is key to preventing
errors before they happen. During your hospital
stay, you might have questions or concerns about
your plan of care, or you may want to simply
discuss a concern with someone. Patient advocates
support and promote patients’ rights as they
navigate the health care system. To access the help
of a patient advocate call 4054 from your hospital
room or 802-440-4054.
Compliance
Southwestern Vermont Health Care Corporation
is committed to following the letter of the law
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regarding the services we provide. As a result, we
have developed a fraud and abuse compliance
program. The program stands as a comprehensive
statement of our intent to comply with all laws
and regulations related to the delivery of and
billing for patient services. If you have any
questions regarding this program, or should you
want to report a related concern, contact the
Southwestern Vermont Health Care Compliance
Officer at 802-447-5077.
Patient Surveys
At SVMC, our mission is to delight patients by
providing exceptional health care to everyone
who enters our facility. As a patient you know
better than anyone how well we are doing at
achieving that goal. Your thoughts and suggestions
help us identify where we are doing well and
where we can improve. When you return home
you may receive a survey from us. We hope you
will take a few moments to answer the questions
and give us your honest feedback. We’re
listening! We thank you in advance for sharing
your thoughts with us.
It’s Your Decision
Ethics
Making difficult decisions about medical
treatments for yourself or a loved one can be very
difficult and sometimes overwhelming. The
SVMC Ethics Advisory Council is available to
help patients, families, and staff who must make
serious decisions about medical care, such as
ontinuing life-sustaining treatment or interpreting
a living will. Such input can help facilitate
discussion and improve communication among
patients, families, and health care professionals
during trying times. The council is available as
a sounding board to help ease the difficulties
patients and families face when dealing with the
ethical and moral dilemmas that often accompany
potentially devastating medical circumstances. If
you would like to meet with a member or members
of the committee to discuss implications of a plan
SOUTHWESTERN VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER