Beaufort Memorial Hospital | Affiliated with Duke University Health System in heart and cancer

Patient & Visitor Information

Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities

As a patient at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, you have many rights that are in place to ensure you receive the best care possible. You also have responsibilities that help both you and your caregivers make informed decisions about your treatment while you are in our care. Please review your rights and responsibilities carefully, and be sure to ask your nurse or patient representative if you have any questions.

You have rights as a patient.

You have the right to receive information in a manner that is understandable by you.

You have the right to consent or refuse any treatment, as permitted by law. If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.

You have the right to have your pain assessed and managed appropriately.

You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion of any form that are not medically necessary.

You have the right to receive compassionate care that respects your personal, spiritual, cultural, and religious values and beliefs. The services of Pastoral Care Services are available to help you meet these needs.

You have the right to have the hospital promptly notify a family member or representative and your physician of your admission to the hospital.

You have the right to 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. BMH will keep your advance directives on file, but you must make sure we have the most current copy.

You have the right to privacy. The hospital, your doctor, and others caring for you will protect your privacy as much as possible.

You have the right to 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 the records are confidential.

You have the right to review your medical records and to receive an accounting of disclosures regarding your own health information, as permitted by law.

You have the right to 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 risks, benefits, and alternatives.

You have the right to 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 facilities or providers.

You have the right to 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 provides.

You have the right to be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.

You have the right to know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods.

You have the right to review your bill, have the information explained to you, and get a copy of the bill.

You have the right to know about hospital resources, such as patient complaints and grievance processes, patient representatives or ethics committees, that can help you promptly resolve problems and questions about your hospital stay and care.

You have the right to lodge a grievance with the State agency directly, regardless of whether you first use our grievance process. You may call S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control at (800) 922-6735, or write them at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201.

You have the right to know the identity and professional status of those who care for you. All staff will wear name badges with their name, department, job title or trainee title. All clinical trainees will be identified as such on the name badge.

You have responsibilities as a patient.

You are responsible for providing information about your health, including past illnesses, hospital stays, and use of medicine.

You are responsible for asking questions when you do not understand information or instructions.

You are responsible for telling your doctor if you believe you can't follow through with your treatment.

You and your visitors are responsible for being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff and the hospital.

You are responsible for providing information for insurance and for working with the hospital to arrange payment, when needed.

You are responsible for recognizing the effect of lifestyle on your personal health.

Please click on the links below for more information.

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