Patient Rights
As a patient at Prairie lakes Healthcare System, you have rights that we are committed to protecting. You also have responsibilities, and understanding them will help you make decisions about your care that are best for you.
Health Status
You have the right to:
- Receive complete and current information concerning your diagnosis, treatment, and any known prognosis.
- Be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
Care Planning & Treatment
You have the right to:
- Reasonable, informed participation in the decisions involving your care.
- Refuse any participation in experimental studies or research/educational projects affecting your care.
- Be informed of who is responsible for authorizing and performing procedures or treatment.
You will not be subject to any procedure without your voluntary, competent, and understanding consent.
Refusal of Treatment
You have the right to:
- Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law.
When refusal of treatment by you or your legally authorized representative prevents the provision of appropriate care in accordance with professional standards, the relationship with you may be terminated upon reasonable notice.
Advanced Directive
You have the right to:
- Give directions about your wishes for medical care or to designate another person(s) to make medical decisions on your behalf.
Personal Safety
You have the right to:
- Privacy during medical treatments and other care.
- Be examined in surroundings designed to make sure you have reasonable visual and auditory privacy.
- Have a person of your own gender present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment, or procedure performed by a healthcare provider of the opposite sex.
Personal Safety
You have the right to:
- Expect reasonable safety where hospital practices and environment are concerned.
- Be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
- Be placed in protective privacy when it is considered necessary for personal safety.
Confidentiality
You have the right to:
- Confidentiality of all records and communications concerning your health history and treatment to the extent provided by law.
- Access information in your clinical record within a reasonable time.
- Refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the hospital, including visitors or people officially connected with the hospital, but not directly involved in your care.
- Expect any discussion or consultation involving your case will be conducted discreetly, and that people not directly involved in your care will not be present without your permission.
Grievance Process
A patient representative is available to make your visit to Prairie lakes Hospital as positive as possible. The patient representative can help patients, families, or visitors with concerns, problems, or complaints by explaining hospital policies and procedures and listening to suggestions. The patient representative can be reached at 1-605-882-7672. You may also contact the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care at 605-336-3505 or the South Dakota Department of Health at 1-800-738-2301.
Patient Responsibilities
As a patient, you have the responsibility to:
- Provide to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other health-related matters.
- Report unexpected changes in your condition to your healthcare provider.
- Make it known if you don’t clearly understand a possible course of action and what is expected of you.
- Follow the treatment plan recommended by your healthcare provider.