Patient Rights & Responsibilities

You are the reason we are here. We wish to honor you as an individual with health care needs. We will strive to treat you and your loved ones with respect and courtesy. Knowing your rights and responsibilities will help you make the best decisions about your care. We will do our best to uphold these rights. Please know you have the following rights:

Care with Respect

  • To receive care without discrimination.
  • To receive care with courtesy.
  • To receive care appropriate for pain management.
  • To receive services within the organization’s capacity.
  • To have your personal, cultural, and spiritual values supported when treatment decisions are made.
  • To have an interpreter if you do not speak English or you have a hearing impairment.
  • To voice concerns and submit grievances for acknowledgement, review and response without fear of retribution or denial of care.

Be Informed and Make Decisions

  • To know the name and profession of your care providers.
  • To receive information on your condition, and make informed decisions about your care.
  • To be involved, and have family or designated surrogate involved, in care planning and treatments.
  • To request or refuse treatment, drugs, procedures and be informed of consequences.
  • To be informed of unanticipated adverse outcomes.
  • To have your wishes honored concerning organ donation, when such wishes are known, in accordance with law and regulations and within limits of the organization’s capability.
  • To form advance directives.
  • To have a family member or representative and personal physician notified of your hospital admission.
  • To designate and receive visitors of choice.
  • To access your medical records within a reasonable time frame.
  • To request transfer of your care to another provider.
  • To be informed and consent or refuse to healthcare students participating in your care.
  • To be informed and decide if you wish to participate in clinical research studies.
  • To have an explanation of your billings and information on financial assistance options.

Privacy and Safety

  • To privacy during treatment, personal care activities, and care discussions.
  • To be free from audio/video monitoring without consent, unless medically necessary.
  • To an environmentally safe setting.
  • To an emotionally safe atmosphere of respect, dignity and comfort.
  • To be free from all forms of abuse, neglect and harassment.
  • To confidentiality of your medical records.
  • To be free from restraint and seclusion, unless medically necessary.
  • To access protective services.

Patient Responsibilities

You have a role and responsibility in addressing your health care needs. Please help us by honoring the following responsibilities:

  • Provide complete and accurate information about your conditions, medical history, medications, and any other health matters that would help us care for you. .
  • Ask questions and let us know about your concerns, so that we can do our best to answer them.
  • Tell us about any changes in your condition. You know best how you feel.
  • Take part in decisions concerning your care and treatment.
  • Follow your treatment plan. If you choose not to, recognize the consequences of your decision.
  • Make arrangements for financial obligations. Ask about options available to you.
  • Respect medical center policies.
  • Be considerate of other patients and ensure that your visitors are equally thoughtful.

Complaints and Grievances

You have the right to submit any written or verbal complaint about your visit at Olympic Medical Center without any prejudice for future service. We appreciate the opportunity to acknowledge concerns, provide explanations or apologies, and make improvements whenever appropriate.

You may contact Patient Relations at (360) 417-7256 or Administration at (360) 417-7705, or write to us at:

Olympic Medical Center – Administration
939 Caroline Street
Port Angeles, Washington 98362

Responses to most grievances are provided within seven (7) days, unless further investigation is needed, at which time you will be informed. If you feel that your grievance was not resolved satisfactorily, you may contact:

Washington State Department of Health, 1-800-633-6828

For Medicare patients with concerns about the quality of care or about premature discharge, please call:

Quality Improvement Organization (Livanta), 1-877-588-1123

These rights and responsibilities have been condensed. For a complete copy of our policy, please contact Olympic Medical Center Administration at (360) 417-7705. For immediate concerns, please ask to speak with your care provider or a department supervisor.