Patient Rights & Responsiblities

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital you have certain rights – things you can expect of the Hospital and of its staff. Respecting these rights is a fundamental part of our duty of care. They are detailed below, so that you may be fully aware of what you can expect.

As a patient, you also have certain responsibilities – things that the staff of the Saad Specialist Hospital can expect from you. These are also detailed here.

PATIENT RIGHTS

Access to Care

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital (SSH), you have a right to:

  • Treatment that is indicated for your health condition and available at Saad Specialist Hospital, provided suitable financial arrangements are in place.
  • Be informed about alternative sources of care if SSH is unable to provide the care that you need.
  • Be referred to other healthcare professionals within SSH for assessment and treatment when necessary.
  • Request that responsibility for your care be transferred to another doctor, if you do not wish to remain under the care of your current doctor.
  • Request a second opinion from another SSH doctor.
  • Be provided with information about how to access care and treatment from specialist services available at SSH.
  • The same standard of care as all other patients and to have that care delivered with courtesy and consideration.
  • Have pain assessed and managed appropriately.
  • Be told of the expected cost of any recommended treatment.

Patient Privacy and Confidentiality

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Expect that your health records and all communications about your care will be treated as confidential. The content of your health records are confidential and are only released to third parties such as insurance companies, government agencies, and employers if SSH has written permission to do so. Information from your health record may be released to other doctors, health facilities, or professionals concerned with your future care without your permission, unless you specifically tell us not to release information to anyone.
  • Refuse to talk to or see anyone not officially connected with Saad Specialist Hospital or not connected with your care and treatment (with the exception of Saudi Arabian officials acting in their official capacities).
  • Be examined and interviewed in surroundings designed to provide reasonable visual and auditory privacy.
  • Not to remain disrobed for longer than is necessary for examination or treatment.
  • Be chaperoned by a staff member of the same sex as you or by a member of your family. In some situations, because of the nature of the examination or treatment, the chaperone will have to be a member of staff (e.g. x-ray or operative procedures).
  • Expect that any discussion or consultation about your care will be conducted discreetly and that individuals who are not involved in your care will not be present without your permission.
  • Expect that people not involved in your care and treatment will not be present during examination or treatment, unless permission is obtained.

Respect and Dignity

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Considerate and respectful care at all times, with recognition of your personal dignity and your cultural values and beliefs.

Personal Safety and Security

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Expect reasonable safety and security as far as SSH procedures, practices, and the environment are concerned.
  • Expect that reasonable steps will be taken to protect your physical safety whilst at SSH.

Identity

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Know the identity (name) and professional status (e.g. doctor, nurse, dentist, therapist) of individuals responsible for your care and of individuals providing services to you.
  • Know which healthcare professional is primarily responsible for your care.
  • Know the identity of individuals authorized to perform procedures and treatment on you.

Information

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Be told, by the person responsible for your care, accurate and current information about your diagnosis and treatment (including benefits and risks) and the expected outcome of your treatment.
  • Be told, by the person responsible for your care, information about alternative treatments that are available for your medical condition and the benefits and risks of such treatments.
  • Have all information explained to you in a way that you can understand, and to ask for further explanation if you do not understand something.
  • Request an interpreter if you do not understand the language spoken by the person responsible for your care.
  • Have your designated representative (usually a family member) informed of anything you cannot or should not (for health reasons) be told.

Informed Consent

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right, before being asked to sign a consent form, to be:

  • Informed of the benefits, risks, and techniques, as well as expected costs, of all treatments and procedures.
  • Informed of alternative methods of treatment, including benefits, risks, techniques and expected costs.

Involvement

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Be involved in all major aspects of your care and treatment, in making decisions about your care and treatment, and in resolving dilemmas about care decisions, and to request that a family member also be involved.
  • Request that family members not be involved in your treatment or in making decisions about your care.
  • Be informed about the process for donating organs or other tissues, if you so desire.

Communications

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Receive visitors during normal visiting hours and in accordance with SSH rules, unless your doctor believes that this would endanger your health.
  • Refuse to have visitors or to request that certain individuals not be allowed to visit you.
  • Receive letters, cards, and phone calls (at reasonable hours) from your family and friends.
  • Be informed if visitors or phone calls are restricted and to have reasons for any such restrictions explained to you and your family.

Refusing Treatment

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Refuse treatment and procedures. You will be informed by your doctor of any risks you may be incurring if you refuse such treatment or procedures.
  • Tell your doctor, in confidence, your wishes regarding the use of, or withholding of, aggressive or invasive treatment, the prolonging of life, and resuscitation.

Rules

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Be informed of all SSH rules regarding your conduct as a patient.
  • Request the assistance of a hospital representative to explain anything you do not understand and to help resolve difficulties, problems, and concerns while at Saad Specialist Hospital.

Transfer and Continuity of Care

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Be informed of the reasons for your transfer to another hospital before being transferred, and to expect that necessary information about your care and treatment be shared with the hospital to which you are being transferred.
  • Expect that Saad Specialist Hospital take reasonable steps to ensure that the hospital to which you are being transferred can meet your continuing care needs.
  • Be informed of any continuing healthcare requirements following your discharge from the hospital.
  • Expect that information about your care and your response to such care be shared among Saad Specialist Hospital staff involved in your care and treatment, so that all those involved are fully aware of you care needs

Complaints

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a right to:

  • Be informed about how you can make a complaint if you feel that any aspect of your care and treatment at SSH has not been handled appropriately.
  • Be informed of the mechanism used by Saad Specialist Hospital to review and evaluate your complaint.
  • Receive a response to your complaint.


PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Instructions

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a responsibility to:

  • Follow the treatment plan recommended by all healthcare professionals.
  • Take all prescribed medication, as instructed by SSH staff.
  • Keep all appointments. If you cannot attend an appointment, you should call the clinic and reschedule.

Making Informed Decisions

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a responsibility to:

  • Find out as much as you can about your medical condition and the recommended treatment. SSH staff will provide you with information and will answer your questions.
  • Inform the healthcare professional responsible for your care if you feel that you are unable to follow the recommended treatment plan.
  • Make sure that you understand any diagnostic procedure or treatment before you sign any consent form authorizing such procedures or treatment. Before signing consent forms, ask as many questions as are necessary to help you understand.

Refuse Treatment

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a responsibility to:

  • Listen to the explanations and advice of healthcare professionals before refusing treatment, hospitalization, or diagnostic procedures.
  • Sign the form “Leaving Against Medical Advice” and accept responsibility for any deterioration in your health caused by refusing recommended treatment.

Rules

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a responsibility to:

  • Follow SSH rules regarding patient behavior.
  • Ask for assistance and explanations if you do not understand any of the rules or if you have any difficulties, problems, or concerns regarding the rules.

Courtesy

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a responsibility to:

  • Be considerate of other patients by observing their right to privacy, limiting visitors in a multi-bed room, and maintaining a quiet atmosphere (telephones, televisions, radios, and lights should be used in a manner agreeable to others).
  • Treat Saad Specialist Hospital staff and other patients with courtesy and respect.
  • Treat Saad Specialist Hospital property and the property of other patients with respect.

Information

As a patient at Saad Specialist Hospital, you have a responsibility to:

  • Provide SSH healthcare professionals with complete and accurate information about your present complaints, past health history, a list of all medications you are currently taking and other health-related matters. If you are female, inform the healthcare professional if you are, or think you may be, pregnant, or give the date of your last menstrual period.
  • Inform healthcare professionals of any changes in health status.
  • Tell healthcare professionals if you do not understand treatment, instructions, or what to expect from treatment.
  • Understand your health problem and your role in the care and treatment of your condition.
  • Ask questions about anything you do not understand.