Patient Confidentiality and Patient Rights and Responsibilities
ConfidentialityÂ
The Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center (RSTHC) is dedicated to preserving our patients’ trust. RSTHC complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). RSTHC employees and contractors owe a duty to patients and stakeholders to act in a way that will merit the continued trust and confidence of the public. Our continued success is dependent upon your trust.
All patients must sign an Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Privacy Practices, which is a summary of your privacy rights at an Indian Health Service facility along with HIPAA Privacy Rule information. The RSTHC Notice of Privacy Practices outlines how information about you may be disclosed. We encourage our patients to carefully read this important document.
Please note: If you decide you would like to share your protected health information with another individual or health care facility, you will need to sign the RSTHC Authorization to Use and/or Disclose Protected Health Information. This form becomes a part of your medical record. Other Authorizations for Use and/or Disclosure of Protected Health Information are not accepted.
Forms may be mailed or faxed to:
Attn: RSTHC Health Information Division
Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center
1715 Kuenzli Street
Reno, NV 89502
Fax: (775)334-4359
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
The Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center will make every attempt to involve patients in their own health care and treatment. Patients are given the opportunity to participate in decisions involving their treatment plans, except when such participation is contraindicated for patient safety reasons.
Our staff is available to answer any questions you might have.
Every reasonable attempt will be made to accommodate patients. We will attempt to honor requests for alternative therapies that may not achieve maximum results, but can be compromised on, as long as they are deemed responsible.
Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
Patient Rights
As a health care provider, the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center is committed to delivering quality medical care. The following “Statement of Rights” was developed by Reno Sparks Tribal Health Center and is endorsed by the Tribal Council, administration, health care professionals and other staff of this facility.
Our goal is to provide health care services that are culturally competent, effective and considerate of the patients we serve. We submit these to you as a statement of our policies:
1. A patient has the right to respectful, considerate care given by competent and qualified personnel.
2. A patient has the right, upon request, to be given the name of his/her healthcare professional as well as the names of all other professionals directly participating in his/her care.
3. A patient has the right to every consideration of his/her privacy concerning his/her own health care program. Case discussions, consultation, examination, and treatments are considered confidential.
4. A patient has the right to have all records pertaining to his/her health care treated as confidential, and in accordance with HIPAA standards, except as otherwise provided by law, or third party contractual and billing arrangements.
5. A patient has the right to know what rules and regulations apply to his/her conduct as a patient.
6. A patient has the right to expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
7. A patient has the right to good quality care and high professional standards that are continually maintained according to National Quality Assurance standards.
8. A patient has the right to full information in layman’s terms concerning his/her diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, including information about alternative treatments and possible complications. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information shall be given on his/her behalf to the patient’s next of kin or other appropriate person, or to a legally authorized individual in summary format.
9. Except for emergencies, the health care provider must obtain the necessary informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment, or both.
10. A patient has the right to be advised when they are part of a research or donor program, and the patient, or legal responsible party, must give informed consent prior to actual participation in such a program(s).
11. A patient has the right to refuse any drugs, treatment, or procedure offered by the facility to the extent permitted by law, and the health care provider shall inform the patient of the consequences of the patient’s refusal of any drugs, treatments or procedures.
12. A patient has the right to assistance in obtaining consultation with another physician at the patient’s request and own expense.
13. A patient has the right to health care services without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual preference, national origin, age, or disability.
14. The patient has the right to be free from verbal, emotional, physical abuse and/or inappropriate sexual behavior in a safe healthful and comfortable environment.
15. This facility shall provide the patient, upon request, access to health information contained in his/her records, unless this is specifically restricted by the attending healthcare provider, or is prohibited by law.
16. A patient has the right to expect that the facility will provide a mechanism whereby he/she is informed prior to or upon discharge of his/her continuing health care requirements following discharge and the means for meeting them.
17. A patient has the right to express grievances or suggestions to personnel verbally or in writing. Suggestion/ complaint forms are located in ALL patient waiting areas throughout the facility and will be directed to the attention of the Executive Director.
Patient Responsibilities
1. You are expected to cooperate with all facility personnel, and you are expected to ask questions if directions and/or procedures are not clearly explained or understood.
2. You are expected to be considerate of other patients and facility personnel and to maintain control of yourself, your family members and children. You are also expected to be respectful of the facility’s property and the property of other persons.
3. In order to facilitate your care, you are expected to assist the health care providers in their efforts to care for you by following instructions.
4. It is your responsibility to keep all appointments. If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment, it is your responsibility to notify the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center at least 24 hours in advance.
5. Be on time for your appointment. Patients are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment. When you arrive on time for your appointment, it helps the staff to ensure that all patients are seen on time. If you do arrive late, you may be rescheduled for another time or day.
6. In the event that you should require hospitalization, the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center is not financially responsible or obligated to pay for expenses related to your hospitalization.
7. It is expected that you will take any medications that have been prescribed to you, and that you will not complicate or endanger the healing process by consuming alcoholic beverages or illicit drugs during or before your visit. In the event that you do take drugs not prescribed by your physician, please be honest, as it is extremely important to your health and safety.
The Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center expects that you and your family will provide accurate information about your health history including illnesses, hospitalizations, and medications (prescribed or otherwise) in order to effectively determine a treatment plan that best suits your individual health care needs.