Patient Rights

Your rights and responsibilities

Should you or your designated guardian, advocate or representative feel at any time that your rights have been violated, please dial 919-938-7121 and speak to the compliance officer.

UNC Health Johnston views health care as a partnership between you and your caregivers. We respect your rights, values and dignity. We also ask that you recognize the responsibilities that come with being a patient, both for your own well-being as well as for that of your fellow patients and caregivers. Please read and exercise these rights and responsibilities as outlined here.

Patient rights

• You have the right to safe, high-quality medical care without discrimination that is compassionate and respects personal dignity, values and beliefs.
• You have the right to participate and make decisions about your care and pain management, including refusing care to the extent permitted by law. Your care provider (doctor, nurse, etc.) will explain the medical consequences of refusing recommended treatment.
• You have the right to have your illness, treatment, pain, alternatives and outcomes be explained in a manner you can understand. You have the right to interpretation services if needed.
• You have the right to know the name and role of your care providers (doctor, nurse, etc.). At your request, you have a right to a second opinion.
• You have the right to request that a family member, friend and/or physician be notified that you are under the care of this facility.
• You have the right to be informed about transfers to another facility or organization and be provided complete explanation including alternatives to a transfer. You will receive information about continuing your health care prior to leaving the facility.
• You have the right to know the policies that affect your care and treatment.
• You have the right to participate in or decline to participate in research. You may decline at any time without compromising your access to care, treatment and services.
• You have the right to private and confidential treatments, communications and medical records to the extent permitted by law.
• You have the right to receive information concerning your advance directives, (living will, health care power of attorney, or mental health advance directives), and to have your advance directives respected to the extent permitted by law.
• You have the right to access your medical records in a reasonable timeframe, to the extent permitted by law.
• You have the right to be informed of charges and receive counseling on the availability of financial resources for health care.
• You have the right to be free from restraints that are not medically required or are used inappropriately.
• You have the right to access advocacy or protective service agencies and a right to be free from abuse.

Patient responsibilities

• You are responsible for providing as much information as possible about your health, medical history and insurance benefits.
• You are responsible for asking the care provider when you do not understand medical words or instructions about your plan of care.
• You are responsible for following your plan of care. If you are unable/unwilling to follow the plan of care, you are responsible for telling your care provider. Your care provider will explain the medical consequences of not following the recommended treatment.
• You are responsible for the outcomes of not following your plan of care.
• You are responsible for following the facility’s rules and regulations.
• You are responsible for acting in a manner that is respectful of other patients, staff and facility property.
• You are responsible for meeting your financial obligation to the facility.

Your right to privacy

You have the right to expect that your personal health information will be kept confidential. Our hospital will safeguard your records from unauthorized disclosure. HIPAA Privacy Regulations let hospitals release limited information about you without your permission. Unless you object, we will give out the following information if someone asks about you by name:

• Your location in the hospital
• Your general condition
• Your religious affiliation (if asked by members of the clergy)
• If you do not want any of the above information to be released, please tell someone on the hospital staff.

Please refer to the UNC Health Johnston Joint Notice of Privacy Practices for additional information. If you have a specific privacy request, please ask to fill out a privacy request form.

If you have concerns, we encourage you to contact us immediately so they we can meet your needs. Dial 919-938-7121.

To express your concerns

You and your family have the right to have your compliments, concerns and complaints addressed as we are committed to providing every patient with very good and excellent care. If you have any concerns about your treatment or care, please tell our staff. We have a process in place to review your concerns. The feedback you provide is valuable in helping us to improve patient care. If our staff is not able to address your concerns, please ask to speak to the department director. You may also voice your concerns to the compliance officer by dialing 919-938-7121 or by contacting the house manager by dialing zero.

You have the right to contact and file a complaint with the following agencies:

Mail Complaints to:

Complaint Intake Unit
2711 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2711

NC Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR)
2711 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2711
1-800-624-3004 or 919-865-4500 (fax) 919-715-7724

Office of Quality Monitoring
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1- 800-994-6610

UNC Health Care Nondiscrimination Notice

Notice of Nondiscrimination [PDF]