Patient Rights & Responsibilities
Rights
The patient has the right to treatment without discrimination as to race, age, religion, sex, national origin, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or source of payment.
A hospital must inform each patient, or when appropriate, the patient’s representative (as allowed under state law), of the patient’s right, in advance of furnishing or discontinuing patient care whenever possible. The hospital respects the right of patients.
The patient has a right to receive information in a manner he or she understands.
The patient has the right to participate in the development and implementation of his or her plan of care which includes at a minimum, the right to: participate in the development and implementation of his or her inpatient treatment/care plan, outpatient treatment/care plan, participate in the development and implementation of his or her discharge plan, and participate in the development and implementation of his or her pain management plan.
The patient has the right to have a family member or representative of his or her choice and his or her own physician notified promptly of his or her admission to the hospital. In the case of a patient who is incapacitated, when an individual presents the hospital with an advance directive, medical power of attorney or similar document executed by the patient and designating an individual to make medical decisions for the patient when incapacitated, then the hospital will, when presented with the document, provide the required notice of its policies to the designated representative. The explicit designation of a representative takes precedence over any non-designated relationship and continues throughout the patient’s inpatient stay or outpatient visit, unless the patient ceases to be incapacitated and expressly withdraws the designation, either orally or in writing.
The hospital respects the patient’s rights that visitation privileges will not be restricted, limited, or denied on the bases of age, race, color, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability.
The patient has the right to receive or not receive any visitors he or she chooses. The patient also has the right to name a “support person” who can make decisions about visitors when the patient is not able. The patient or support person will be informed of any limitation on visitation rights.
The patient has a right to personal privacy and confidentiality.
The patient, or his or her legally designated representative, has the right to make informed decisions regarding his or her care. Saint Luke’s recognizes the patient’s ability to identify a representative of the patient’s own choosing without discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin. The patient can also designate an un-married same sex partner as their representative. The patient’s rights include being informed of his or her health status, being involved in care planning, treatment, and being able to request or refuse treatment.
The patient has the right to receive care in a safe and secure setting.
The patient has the right to confidentiality of his or her clinical records.
The patient has the right to give or withhold consent.
The patient has the right to receive information about the individual(s) responsible for, as well as those providing, his or her care, treatment, and services.
The patient has the right to give or withhold informed consent to produce or use recordings, films, or other images of the patient for purposes other than his or her care.
The patient has the right to access information contained in his or her clinical records within a reasonable time frame.
The organization protects the patient and respects his or her rights during research, investigation, and clinical trials.
The patient has the right to formulate advance directives and to have hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with these directives.
The patient has the right to be free from all forms of abuse, bullying or harassment, including physical, mental, sexual and verbal abuse, neglect and exploitation, and corporal punishment.
The patient has the right to be free from restraint or seclusion, or any form imposed as means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff. Restraint or seclusion may only be imposed to ensure the immediate physical safety of the patient, a staff member, or others and must be discontinued at the earliest possible time.
The patient has the right to an environment that preserves dignity and contributes to a positive self image.
The hospital addresses the resolution of complaints from patients and their families. The hospital must establish a process for prompt resolution of patient grievances and must inform each patient whom to contact to file a grievance.
The patient has the right to access protective and advocacy services.
The patient is informed about his or her responsibilities related to his or her care, treatment, and services.
Responsibilities
Provide information
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible to provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalization, medications, and other matters relating to their health including perceived risks in their care and unexpected changes in their condition. This information will help the hospital staff understand the patient, family, or representatives’ needs and expectations.
Ask questions
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible to ask questions when they do not understand their care, treatment, and service or what they are expected to do.
Participate in development and follow the established care plan
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible to participate in the development of the plan for care, treatment, and services. They should express any concerns about their ability to fulfill the proposed care plan or course of care, treatment, and services.
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible for their actions if refusing a treatment or service recommended as part of the proposed plan.
Show respect and consideration
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible to be considerate of the hospital’s staff and property, as well as other patients and their property.
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible for assisting in the control of noise, control of access to hospital services by watching the number of visitors present at any given time, and are respectful of non-smoking policies.
Meet financial commitments
Patients and their families or representatives are responsible for assuring the financial obligation of their health care is fulfilled as promptly as possible.
Visitation Guidelines
We’re taking extra precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic with the safety of patients, visitors, and staff in mind. Read our visitor guidelines for those visiting our clinics, hospitals, and other locations.
Saint Luke’s shall not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability. You, the patient, have the right to receive visitors whom you designate including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner or same-sex domestic partner, another family member, or friend. You have the right to withdraw or deny visitation to anyone at any time.
You may verbally designate a support person to exercise your visitation rights should you be unable to do so. A support person can be a family member, friend, or other individual who is at the hospital to support you during your stay. Your support person has visitation privileges that are no more restrictive than those of immediate family. The support person does not have to be an individual who is legally responsible for making medical decisions on your behalf. Should you be unable to exercise your visitation rights, the hospital will recognize your support person’s verbal directive as to whom should or should not be admitted as your visitors.
Visitation guidelines have been established to promote a therapeutic environment, patient privacy, and patient safety. There may be clinical reasons to restrict or limit the visitation rights to provide safe care to our patients. Should limitations be imposed, the hospital will explain to you and/or your support person, if applicable, the reasons for the restrictions or limitations.
Rest is a vital part of each patient’s care. Visitors are encouraged to remain quiet at all times. Disruptive or noisy visitors will be asked to quiet and control their behavior or leave the patient care area. If any patient believes that his or her patient visitation rights have been violated, he or she may file a complaint using the hospital’s internal grievance system through the patient advocate.
Patient Advocate Offices
Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City
4401 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64105
816-932-2328
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saint Luke’s East Hospital
100 NE Saint Luke’s Blvd., Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
816-347-4935
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saint Luke’s North Hospital
5830 NW Barry Road, Kansas City, MO 64154
816-880-2899
Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saint Luke’s South Hospital
12300 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66213
913-317-7371
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Allen County Regional Hospital
3066 N. Kentucky St., Iola, KS 66749
785-204-7119
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Anderson County Hospital
421 S. Maple St., Garnett, KS 66032
785-204-7119
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Hedrick Medical Center
2799 N. Washington St., Chillicothe, MO 64601
660-358-5774
Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Wright Memorial Hospital
191 Iowa Blvd., Trenton, MO 64683
660-358-5774
Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Crittenton Children’s Center
10918 Elm Ave., Kansas City, MO 64134
816-767-4321
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Patient Grievance Process
A patient grievance is a formal written or verbal complaint that is filed when a patient issue cannot be resolved promptly by staff present. Exercising your right to the grievance process will not compromise your care. Confidentiality will be respected at all times. The expectation is that the facility will handle relatively minor concerns in a timely manner without the need for a written response. You may contact the patient advocate for more information.
If you are a Medicare patient who believes you are being discharged too early, you may contact KePro at 855-408-8557 to share your concern.
You have the right to lodge a grievance with any state agency regardless of whether you have first used the hospital’s grievance process. Advocacy agencies include:
Kansas
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment: 1000 SW Jackson, Topeka, KS 66612, 800-842-0078
Missouri
- Missouri Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 800-392-0210
- Missouri Health Net Division Participant Services Unit: 800-392-2161
National
- KePro: 5201 W. Kennedy Blvd, Ste 900, Tampa, FL 33609, 855-408-8557
- Center for Medicare Services, 601 E. 12th St., Kansas City, MO 64106, 800-633-4227
- State Board of Healing Arts, P.O. Box 4, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 866-289-5753
- The Joint Commission (TJC), One Renaissance Blvd., Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, www.jointcommission.org, Fax: 630-792-5636
- Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570, 573-751-6303
Explanation of Your Patient’s Representative or Support Person Designation
Saint Luke’s must inform each patient, or his or her representative or support person, of the patient’s rights. Saint Luke’s will take reasonable steps to determine the patient’s wishes concerning designation of a representative or support person.
Q: Who makes my decisions regarding my medical care?
A: Saint Luke’s will always turn to you first to make your health care decisions. Should you be unable to do so, we would turn to your representative for help with those decisions.
Q: How do I, as a patient, designate a representative to make my health care decisions when I can no longer participate in that decision process?
A: The best process is to have a written document designating a person you’d like us to turn to when you can no longer make your own decisions. For example, if you have a health care directive, medical power of attorney, court-approved guardian, or similar document designating an individual to make your medical decisions when you no longer can, we turn to that individual as your representative.
Q: What if I don’t have a written document designating a person to make my medical decisions?
A: You can verbally tell a hospital staff member who you’d like to designate; this individual becomes your representative when you no longer can make your own medical decisions.
Q: What if I don’t have a written document and I can’t otherwise communicate my wishes when I arrive at the hospital?
A: If your spouse, domestic partner, parent, or other family member tells us he or she would like to be your representative, we will turn to that individual to make your medical decisions.
Q: What rights does my representative have?
A: He or she can receive the required notice of patient rights, be involved in the development and implementation of your plan of care, and receive the information required to make an informed decision about your care.
Q: Is there a difference between my representative and my support person?
A: Yes, a support person can be designated by you to make decisions regarding your visitors when you’re not able to do so yourself. He or she is not a legal representative and cannot make decisions regarding your medical care. The hospital will recognize the support person’s verbal directives as to who should or should not be allowed to visit you. This person may or may not be the same person you have designated as your representative.
Notice of Assistance Services
Language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 816-932-6145.
View Notice of Assistance Services (PDF)
Notice of Non-discrimination
Saint Luke’s Health System complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
View Notice of Non-discrimination (PDF)
View each hospital's notice of non-discrimination (all files PDF):