• Patients have the right to:
  • Receive access to equal medical treatment and accommodations regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, religion, or sources of payment for care.
  • Be fully informed by the physician, to the extent of the physician’s knowledge, regarding diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, procedure, and prognosis, as well as the risks, side effects, and expected outcomes associated with treatment and procedure, prior to the procedure.
  • Give or withhold informed consent and participate in making decisions about their care, treatment, or services.
  • Exercise their rights without being subjected to discrimination or reprisal.
  • Receive care in a safe setting and be treated with dignity with personal privacy. 
  • Receive notice of their rights prior to the surgical procedure, in both verbal and written format, in a language and manner that ensures the patient/patient’s representative understands all of the patient’s rights.
  • Be a participant in decisions regarding the scope of treatment. If the patient is unable to participate in those decisions, the patient’s rights shall be exercised by the patient’s designated representative, or other legally designated person.
  • Make informed decisions regarding their care.
  • The patient has the right to refuse treatment and understands the risks and consequences of doing so.
  • Express grievances, complaints, and suggestions at any time and to have those reviewed by the organization.
  • Access copies of their medical records. Approve or refuse the release of medical records to any individual outside the facility, except as required by law or third-party payment contract.
  • Be informed as to the facility’s policy regarding advance directives and living wills.
  • Be fully informed before any transfer to another facility or organization and ensure the receiving facility has accepted the patient transfer.
  • Express those spiritual beliefs and cultural practices that do not harm or interfere with the planned course of medical therapy.
  • Expect the facility to agree to comply with Federal Civil Rights Laws that assure it will provide interpretation for individuals who are not proficient in English.
  • Have an initial and regular assessment of pain in addition to receiving  pain management education, when appropriate, for themselves and their families
  • Change providers if other qualified providers are available.

  Patients have the responsibility to:

  Be respectful and considerate of other patients and personnel and to assist in the control of noise, eating, and other distractions.

  • Respect the property of others and the facility.
  • Report whether they clearly understand the planned course of treatment and what is expected of them.
  • Keep appointments and, when unable to do so for any reason, notify the facility and physician.
  • Provide caregivers with the most accurate and complete information regarding present complaints, past illnesses and hospitalizations, medications (including over-the-counter products and dietary supplements), any allergies or sensitivities, unexpected changes in their condition, or any other health matters.
  • Follow the treatment plan prescribed by their provider and participate in their care.
  • Provide a responsible adult to transport them home from the facility and remain with them for 24 hours, if required by their provider.
  • Observe the facility’s prescribed rules during their stay and treatment; understand that if instructions are not followed, they forfeit care at the facility.
  • Promptly fulfill their financial obligations to the facility and accept personal financial responsibility for any charges not covered by their insurance.
  • Identify any patient safety concerns.

We respect your right to make decisions about your healthcare, including advance directives. Our focus is on high-quality care and patient safety. While unlikely, if you need life-saving measures, we’ll stabilize you and transfer you to a hospital, where your wishes will be followed. You can choose to have your procedure here or at another facility that may not have the same limitations. State forms for Advance Directives are available. We can help you reschedule if you disagree with our policy.

To report a complaint or grievance, you can contact the facility Administrator by phone at 410-877-4553  or by mail at:

Regional Surgical Associates
2012 S. Tollgate Road, Suite 111
Bel Air, MD 21015

To report a complaint or grievance to the State of Maryland, contact the Office of Healthcare Quality at 1-800-492-6005 or by mail at: 

Office of Healthcare Quality: Ambulatory Care
7120 Samuel Morse Drive
Second Floor
Columbia, MD 21045

https://www.medicare.gov/claims-appeals/how-to-file-a-complaint-grievance

Medicare beneficiaries may receive information regarding their options under Medicare and their rights and protections by visiting the website for the Office of the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman at:

https://www.cms.gov/center/special-topic/ombudsman/medicare-beneficiary-ombudsman-home