Patient Rights & Responsibilities

The Board of Directors, medical staff and employees of Kittitas Valley Community Hospital recognize and affirm the following rights and responsibilities of our patients:

The patient at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital has the right to:

• Receive a written statement outlining their rights and responsibilities while under the care and treatment of Kittitas Valley Community Hospital.
• Considerate and respectful care. To treatment that is available and medically indicated regardless of race, belief, political affiliation, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability status, veteran status or ability to pay.
• Participate in the development and implementation of their plan of care to the extent they are able.
• Personal and informational privacy to the extent authorized by them, the courts or the law.
• Expect reasonable safety in the hospital's practices and environment.
• Receive information in a manner that they can understand.
• Associate and communicate privately with persons of their choice and to send and receive personal mail, unless medically contraindicated.
• Refuse all or part of their care and treatment, leave the hospital, and be informed of the expected consequences of their actions.
• Refuse treatment of an experimental or research nature.
• Examine and receive an explanation of their bill, regardless of the source of payment.
• Formulate, and have honored, an Advance Directive (including Mental Health Advance Directives). These are defined as a written instruction, such as a Physician Order for Life
• Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form, living will or durable power of attorney for Health Care, relating to their wishes for the provision of health care.
• Express their concerns verbally or in writing and receive a timely response to those concerns.

The patient at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital has the responsibility to:

• Provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present illnesses, past complaints, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to their health. They have the responsibility to report unexpected changes in their condition to their nurse and/or physician.
• Follow their recommended plan of care as directed by the physician. This may include following the instruction of nurses and allied health personnel as they carry out the coordinated plan of care directed by the physician, and as they enforce the applicable hospital rules and regulations.
• Accept responsibility for their actions if they refuse treatment or do not follow their physician's instructions.
• Assure that their financial obligations are fulfilled as required under hospital policy.
• Respect the property, materials and equipment of other persons or the hospital.
• Be considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel and for controlling noise, smoking, lights, telephone, television, and radio so it is not disturbing to others.
• Follow hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.