At Monument Health, we believe the patient and their providers share responsibility for care. A copy of your rights and responsibilities is available in the admissions packet, is posted in the outpatient areas throughout the facility and is listed below.
If you have any questions or concerns about these rights and responsibilities, please call Patient and Family Relations at 605-755-4704.
If a patient or family member has concerns, complaints, or compliments about patient care, they are encouraged to visit with their care provider, a department director, a patient relations representative, or a hospital administrator.
Rights and Responsibilities
As a patient at Monument Health, you have rights and responsibilities. Knowing your rights and responsibilities can help you and your caregivers work better as a team. This will improve the care you receive as a patient.
Below is an outline of your rights and responsibilities. If you are under 18 years of age, these rights and responsibilities will be carried out by your parents or guardians.
Your Rights
As a patient, you can expect:
- Provision of care in a safe setting and freedom from all forms of abuse or harassment.
- Considerate and respectful care.
- Consideration of your spiritual and cultural practices.
- Access to services and care that is medically indicated without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national
origin, disability, or source of payment. - Information concerning advance directives and implementation of your directive to the extent it is known, and
within state laws and facility policies. - Identification of all caregivers responsible for your care.
- Provision of information so you can make informed decisions about your care.
- To participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care.
- Information regarding your health status.
- Freedom from restraints that are not medically necessary.
- Personal privacy subject to the facility’s ability to provide adequate medical and nursing care.
- Confidential treatment of your medical records and other medical information, unless otherwise required by law,
unless you consent to the release of this information, or unless the disclosure is required to provide continuity of
care for you. - Measurement of pain with initiation of pain treatment if required.
- Transfer to another facility for appropriate care when medically indicated and ordered by your physician.
- Notification of a family member or your own physician at your request.
- Information regarding continuing care after discharge.
- To be informed when you are participating in experimental or investigational care or research.
- Assistance in arranging for consultation with a medical specialist at your expense if requested.
- Access to an interpreter or other communication device if needed.
- Access to your medical record within a reasonable time frame.
- To receive an itemized bill if requested.
- To be informed of the procedure for making a complaint.
Your Responsibilities
As a patient, you should:
- Provide, to the best of your ability, accurate and complete information about present and past illnesses and health
information. - Tell caregivers if your condition changes.
- Tell caregivers if you do not understand what you are to do to participate in your care.
- Tell caregivers if your pain is not being controlled.
- Inform caregivers of any refusal of treatment.
- Follow the instructions of caregivers.
- Follow facility rules and procedures.
- Be considerate of other persons and caregivers.
- Respect the property of others.
- Assure the financial obligations for your health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
All Monument Health patients have the right to contact the South Dakota Department of Health with concerns, complaints, or compliments:
South Dakota Department of Health
Office of Health Care Licensure and Certification
615 East 4th Street Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-3356 for Hospital, Nursing Home, and Hospice
800-592-1861 for Home Health
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and Monument Health Home Health/Hospice patients also have the right to contact The Joint Commission with concerns, complaints, or compliments:
The Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
(800) 994-6610
complaint@jointcommission.org
How Patients Can Help Foster a Safe Environment
Taking an active role in your care has many advantages. Your doctor, nurse and other healthcare providers welcome your involvement. Below, find tips for you and your family to help us ensure your health and safety:
Tip #1: Be involved in your healthcare.
To be involved in your healthcare:
- Take part in all decisions about your treatment, be active and ask questions.
- Share any special care needs that you have, such as visual impairment or preferred language.
- Feel free to take notes or write down information to help you remember what is being discussed.
- Communicate any specific preferences so that we can take them into account when deciding what your needs are after you are discharged.
Tip #2: Speak up if you have any questions or concerns.
You have a right to question anyone who is involved with your care. Our goal is to communicate to you in a way that you can understand and will help you manage your health care needs. If it helps, write down questions to ask for the next time you visit the doctor.
Tip #3: Identify yourself and practice great hand hygiene.
Be sure that the health care professional asks your name and birthdate. We will confirm your identity often; this ensures we are not confusing patients. Hand hygiene is critical in keeping our patients and caregivers safe. If you do not see a caregiver use the foam sanitizer or wash their hands in front of you, please ask them to and ask for help with washing yours. This is an important part of preventing the spread of infection.
Tip #4: Bring your doctor a list of your medications and mention any allergies you have.
This list should include all over-the-counter medications, home remedies, and herbal medications including tea, vitamins and weight gain or loss products such as shakes, pills or bars. Sometimes they can be dangerous when you take them with other medications. Know what medications you are taking, why you are taking them, and potential side effects. Let your care team know of any allergies and type of reaction or side-effects you have to certain ones. Also be sure to ask questions about the medications you are given, if any of them are new to you.
Rapid City
Our well-informed volunteers will be happy to assist you in finding your way around our campus, providing information on nearby areas or helping you in any way we can. They are available to serve patients, their families, visitors and hospital caregivers.
For the comfort and convenience of our guests, a Volunteer is available at the Guest Service desk in the main lobby of the Monument Health Rapid City Hospital to assist you. They are available from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. We invite you to call 605-755-8011.
Interpretation Services/Hearing Impaired
Monument Health healing environments can provide interpreter services for non-English speaking patients or those with special needs (such as TTY). To learn more, speak to any member on your care team.
Hospitalization can be an extremely trying time. The Chaplains in the Spiritual Care department are committed to providing religious, spiritual and cultural support for patients and their loved ones.
If you would like to speak with a member of our spiritual care staff during your hospital stay, please let any one of your caregivers know. Call 605-755-8191 to speak with Monument Health Spiritual Care Services.
Spiritual Care Services can help with the following:
- Pastoral care/spiritual support to persons of all faith traditions or none
- Sacramental ministries
- Ethics information and consultations
- Bereavement care/grief support
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital has a chapel in the main lobby. Chaplains are available to offer spiritual care to patients upon request.
If you seek an update on a patient’s medical condition at any Monument Health Hospital, please contact a hospital coordinator at the numbers listed below. Remember, you must have the patient’s full name, including correct spelling. We can only give one-word condition reports such as good, fair, serious or undetermined. If patients don’t consent to the release of information about them, we can’t comment.
Ask for a hospital coordinator at the numbers listed below:
- Rapid City Hospital – 605-755-1000
- Custer Hospital – 605-673-9400
- Lead-Deadwood Hospital – 605-717-6000
- Spearfish Hospital – 605-644-4000
- Sturgis Hospital – 605-720-2400
