Patient & Visitor
Patient Responsibilities

The collaborative nature of health care requires that patients or their families/surrogates participate in the care process. The effectiveness of care and patient satisfaction with the course of treatment depends, in part, on the patient fulfilling certain responsibilities.

1. Patients are responsible for providing information about past illnesses, known or suspected allergies, hospitalizations, medications and other matters related to their health status. To participate effectively in decision making, patients must be encouraged to take responsibility for asking questions when they do not understand information or instructions and to request additional information about their health status or treatment.
   
   
2. Patients are responsible for ensuring that The Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED) has a copy of their written Advance Medical Directive if they have one. Patients are also responsible for informing their health care providers if they anticipate problems in following prescribed treatments.
   
   
3. Patients are responsible for reporting any known or perceived unsafe circumstances or practices to a member of The MED staff.
   
   
4. Patients, their families and or their visitors, are responsible for being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff and The MED and for contributing to a safe environment.
   
   
5. The patient is responsible for communicating to The MED's staff any personal, cultural, spiritual, and/or other ethnic beliefs that might impact the patient's health care decision making.
   
   
6. Patients should be aware of The MED’s obligation to be reasonably efficient and equitable in providing care to other patients and the community. The MED's rules and regulations are designed to help the organization meet this obligation. Patients and their families are responsible for making reasonable accommodations to the needs of The MED, other patients, medical staff and organization employees.
   
   
7. Patients are responsible for providing information for insurance claims and cooperating with The MED to make payment arrangements.
   
   
8. A person's health depends on much more than the delivery of adequate health care services. Patients are responsible for recognizing the impact of their lifestyle on their personal health and for reporting perceived and known risky behavior to their health care providers.

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