Statement of Patient Rights and Responsibilities

We at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC seek to ensure the protection of each patient’s physical and emotional health and safety. Use the link below to view a list of the patient’s rights while in the care of our facility.

Statement of Patient Rights

• You have the right to respectful care given by competent staff.
• You have the right to consideration of your personal privacy.
• You have the right to have all records pertaining to your medical care treated as confidential except as otherwise provided by law or third-party contractual arrangements.
• You have a right to know the hospital rules and regulations that apply to your conduct as a patient.
• You have a right to expect emergency procedures to be implemented without unnecessary delay.
• You have the right to full information about your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
• You have the right to be advised of and consent to participation in any research program.
• You have the right to refuse any drugs, treatment, or procedure ordered by your physician(s), to the extent permitted by law. A physician shall inform you of the medical consequences of your refusal of any drug, treatment, or procedure.
• You have the right to medical and nursing services, and access to available accommodations, without discrimination based upon race, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or source of payment.
• You have the right to expect good management techniques to be applied within the hospital.
• When medically permissible, you may be transferred to another facility only after you or a legally authorized individual has consented to the transfer after receiving an explanation concerning the need for and alternatives to such a transfer. The institution to which you are to be transferred must first have accepted the transfer.
• You have a right to examine and receive a detailed explanation of your bill and counseling on the availability of financial resources related to health care services.
• You have the right to engage in a hospital-appointed ethics consult.
• You have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
• You have the right to initiate an Advance Directive.
• You have the right to be free from all forms of abuse and harassment, including verbal, physical, psychological, sexual, and emotional abuse.
• You have the right to be free of restraint that is not medically necessary.
• You have the right to consistent, quality care and high professional standards that are continually reviewed.
• You have the right to know the name and profession of all health care providers involved in your care.
• Except for emergencies, the physician must obtain the necessary informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment as required by law.
• You have the right to assistance in obtaining consultation with another physician at your request and own expense.
• You have the right to an interpreter, whenever possible, if you do not speak English.
• You or your authorized representative have the right, upon request, to have access to all information contained in your medical records, unless access is specifically restricted by the attending physician for medical reasons. You have the right to a copy of your medical record for a reasonable fee.
• You have a right to expect to be informed on discharge of continuing health care requirements and how to meet them.
• You have a right to access an individual or agency that is authorized to act on your behalf to assert or protect the rights set out in this section.
• You have a right to be informed of your rights at the earliest possible moment in the course of your hospitalization.
• You have the right to contact the hospital’s Patient Representative at 412-641-4579 to discuss concerns you may have regarding your hospital experience. You have a right to prompt resolution to those concerns.
• You have the right to address your concerns regarding a violation of your rights to the Pennsylvania Department of Health at:

Pennsylvania Department of Health
Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care
Health and Welfare Building
P.O. Box 90
Harrisburg, PA 17108-0090
1-800-254-5164

• The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission (formerly referred to as the Joint Commission Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO). If you believe your concerns about care or safety have not been addressed by the hospital, you have the right to contact the Joint Commission’s Office of Quality Monitoring by calling 1-800-994-6610 or by sending an e-mail to: complaint@jointcommision.org.

Statement of Patient Responsibilities

• To effectively manage your illness, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC expects that you or a legally authorized individual will provide accurate and complete information about present symptoms, past illnesses, hospitalization, medications, and other matters relating to your health.
• You are responsible for cooperating with all hospital staff and asking questions if you do not understand directions and/or procedures.
• You are responsible for following all hospital rules and regulations. You are expected to be considerate of other patients and hospital staff, and to help control noise and the number of visitors in your room. You are responsible for being respectful of the property of other persons and of the hospital.
• You are expected to help the physicians, nurses, and other hospital staff by following their instructions and medical orders, as well as keeping scheduled appointments.
• The hospital expects that you will not take drugs that have not been prescribed by your attending physician and administered by hospital staff and that you will not complicate or endanger your healing process by consuming alcoholic beverages or toxic substances during your hospital stay.
• You are responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow your physician’s instructions.
• You are financially responsible for all services rendered. Payment may be made either through third-party payers (your insurance company) or personal payment for any services that are not covered by your insurance policies.
• Except in emergencies, the hospital expects your legally authorized representative to be available to hospital staff for review of your treatment in the event that you are unable to communicate.