Patient Rights and Responsibilities

At Northwest Medical Specialties, PLLC, we are committed to ensuring that each patient entrusted to our care is treated with dignity, respect and compassion. We recognize that all patients have basic rights, and we will do everything possible to honor these rights. Likewise, Northwest Medical Specialties, PLLC has a right to set expectations and responsibilities for patients and their caregivers. The following is a summary of rights and responsibilities that we believe serve as a foundation for a good relationship between patients and their healthcare team.

Patient Rights

As a patient, you and/or a legally responsible guardian or conservator have a right to:

• Receive considerate and respectful care under all circumstances.
• Treatment without discrimination and regard to gender, cultural, economic, educational, or religious background, handicap or disability.
• Know the name and professional status of the provider responsible for your care.
• Receive information from your provider about your illness, course of treatment and your prospects for recovery, in terms that you can understand. When it is medically inadvisable to give such information to a patient, the information is provided to the person designated by the patient, or to a legally authorized person.
• Receive the necessary information about any proposed treatment or procedure to give an informed consent or to refuse this course of treatment.
• Participate actively in decisions regarding your medical care. To the extent permitted by law, this includes the right to refuse treatment.
• Personal privacy and confidentiality of information, and, except when required by law, the opportunity to approve or refuse the release of disclosures of medical information. Your written permission shall be obtained before your medical records are made available to anyone not concerned with your care.
• Be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual on the healthcare team.
• Be informed if the provider proposes to engage in or perform clinical research that may affect your care or treatment. The patient has the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.
• Examine and receive an explanation of your bill regardless of source of payment.
• Report any concerns regarding the quality of care provided to you without the fear of retribution or denial of medical care.
• Leave the facility even against medical advice.
• Be provided with a copy of your rights and responsibilities.

Patient Responsibilities

As a patient, you and/or a legally responsible guardian or conservator have a responsibility to:

• Provide complete and accurate information regarding you present illness, past medial history, and other matters pertaining to your health.
• Ask questions about unfamiliar practices or procedures and make it known whether you clearly comprehend the course of treatment and what is expected of you.
• Follow the treatment plan established by the physician including the instructions of nurses and other health care professionals as they carry out the physicians’ orders.
• Provide written consent to, or refusal of, treatment and/or procedures as requested by physicians and or other healthcare personnel.
• Promptly meet financial responsibilities including provision of appropriate insurance and billing information.
• Keep your appointments and when unable to do so for any reason, notify our office within 24 hours of the appointment.
• Provide a responsible adult to drive you home and if necessary to stay with you.
• Act in a considerate, respectful and cooperative manner at all times. Abusive, threatening or inappropriate language or behavior (written and/or verbal) will not be allowed or tolerated. This behavior could result in dismissal from Northwest Medical Specialties, PLLC.
• Respect the rights and property of others.

Providing Feedback:

Patients have the right to express any complaints or concerns about any aspects of their care or experience, which will be addressed according to our policy.

Concerns or feedback can be shared directly to us:

By phone to management or to any staff member at (253) 428-8700
By mail to 1624 South I Street, #305, Tacoma, WA 98405, Attn: Management
Through our online patient feedback survey which includes the option to remain anonymous: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NWMSFeedback

Washington State Department of Health
P.O. Box 47857
Olympia, WA 98504-7857
Phone: 360-236-4700 Toll Free: 800-633-6828
HSQAComplaintIntake@doh.wa.gov

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Office of the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman: http://www.medicare.gov/claims-and-appeals/medicare-rights/get-help/ombudsman.html
Medicare Help and Support: 1-800-MEDICARE