Rush University Medical Center wants you to know that you have certain rights as a patient which we respect and honor. Our promise to you is to protect and promote your patient rights. We have listed below your rights as a patient at Rush. In the event that you believe your rights or our obligation to meet your Patient Rights are not being met, you may file a grievance (a type of complaint). For additional information about your rights, you can contact our Office of Patient Rights at (312) 942-6603.

The following are your rights as a patient at Rush University Medical Center:

1. You have the right to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care.
2. You have the right to have a family member or representative of your choice and your personal physician notified upon your admission to Rush University Medical Center.
3. You have the right to make informed decisions regarding your care. This right includes being informed of your health status, being involved in care planning and treatment, and being able to request or refuse treatment. If you are unable, for whatever reason, to act on your own behalf, your representative may act for your.
4. You have the right to formulate advance directives concerning your health care with which we will comply.
5. You have the right to personal privacy.
6. You have the right to receive care in a safe setting.
7. You have the right to be free from all forms of abuse and harassment.
8. You have the right to confidentiality of your medical records.
9. You have the right to obtain information contained in your medical records within a reasonable time period.
10. You have the right to be free from any form of restraints that are not medically necessary. A restraint can only be used when needed to improve your well-being and when less restrictive alternatives have been determined to be ineffective.
11. You have the right to be free from seclusion and restraints which are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation. Seclusion or a restraint can only be used when needed to ensure your physical safety and when less restrictive alternatives have been determined to be ineffective.
12. You have the right to file a grievance with Rush University Medical Center. This may be done orally or in writing. Listed below are the categories of types of complaints and the procedures for resolving them.

A. Complaints Concerning Denial of Patient Rights and/or Quality of Care Issues Resulting in Harm or Physical Injury: If you feel that you have been denied any of the rights listed above or if you believe you have suffered harm or physical injury as a result of your care here at Rush University Medical Center, then you should contact the Medical Center's Office of Patient Rights at (312) 942-6603. The Office of Patient Rights shall promptly investigate the complaint. Depending upon the nature of the complaint and the need to further investigate the facts, a response (in the form of a written notice) to your complaint may be provided to you within one week to one month's time. In the resolution of your grievance, the Office of Patient Rights will provide you with written notice of the decision that will contain the name of the hospital contact person, the steps taken on behalf of the patient to investigate the grievance, the results of the grievance process, and the date of completion.
The Grievance Committee as authorized by the Board of Trustees shall, on a monthly basis or as soon as is practical, review and provide final resolution of all grievances.
If you are dissatisfied with the resolution of a case involving harm or physical injury, you may elect to submit the matter to the Rush Mediation Program. If you are dissatisfied with the resolution of a complaint involving the denial of patient rights, you may contact Illinois State agencies directly. Information concerning the Rush Mediation Program and or the phone numbers and addresses of the appropriate state agencies are also available through the Office of Patient Rights.
B. Other Complaints: Some patient complaints may not involve the denial of patient rights or harm or physical injury, but they are still important to us. All complaints will receive our attention and consideration. Many questions are best addressed by personnel on your nursing unit. You should contact your nurse if you have a question about your care, the communication with your health care providers, the manner in which your room is cleaned, your preferences concerning food and beverages, or anything else which bothers you about your stay at Rush. You may address these issues to personnel on your nursing unit or, if you prefer, you can contact the Medical Center's Patient Representative at (312) 942-2172.
Depending upon the nature of the complaint, a response may be provided to you within a few minutes or a few hours. In the event that you are discharged before you are informed of a resolution, you may request that we contact you by telephone about the resolution. If you would like more information about the resolution, please contact the Medical Center's Office of Patient Rights at (312) 942-6603.
C. Patient Concerns About Non-Coverage or Premature Discharge: In the event that pre-admission screening determines that admission criteria are not met prior to admission, the patient will be issued a Hospital Issued Notice of Non-Coverage. This document will be issued before admission or within two (2) days of admission and must state specific reasons why the Medical Center believes the requested services are not covered. The patient may elect to assume personal responsibility for the payment of the services or refuse the services.
In the event that the medical necessity for admission or continued stay does not exist, the patient will be issued a Hospital Issued Notice of Non-Coverage. This document must be given to the patient on the earlier date that it is determined that services will not be covered or prior to the date that care changes from being covered to being non-covered during a continued stay or course of care. If you are dissatisfied with the resolution, you may contact the Medical Center's Office of Utilization Management at (312) 942-4343.