Rights & Responsibilities, Joint Commission

Patients’ Bill of Rights in a Hospital

As a patient in a hospital in New York State, you have the right, consistent with law, to: 

(1) Understand and use these rights. If for any reason you do not understand or you need help, the hospital MUST provide assistance, including an interpreter. 

(2) Receive treatment without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, age or source of payment. 

(3) Receive considerate and respectful care in a clean and safe environment free of unnecessary restraints.

(4) Receive emergency care if you need it. 

(5) Be informed of the name and position of the doctor who will be in charge of your care in the hospital. 

(6) Know the names, positions and functions of any hospital staff involved in your care and refuse their treatment, examination or observation. 

(7) Identify a caregiver who will be included in your discharge planning and sharing of post-discharge care information or instruction. 

(8) Receive complete information about your diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

(9) Receive all the information that you need to give informed consent for any proposed procedure or treatment. This information shall include the possible risks and benefits of the procedure or treatment.

(10) Receive all the information you need to give informed consent for an order not to resuscitate. You also have the right to designate an individual to give this consent for you if you are too ill to do so. If you would like additional information, please ask for a copy of the pamphlet “Deciding About Health Care — A Guide for Patients and Families.”

(11) Refuse treatment and be told what effect this may have on your health.

(12) Refuse to take part in research. In deciding whether or not to participate, you have the right to a full explanation.

(13) Privacy while in the hospital and confidentiality of all information and records regarding your care .

(14) Participate in all decisions about your treatment and discharge from the hospital. The hospital must provide you with a written discharge plan and written description of how you can appeal your discharge.

(15) Review your medical record without charge and, obtain a copy of your medical record for which the hospital can charge a reasonable fee. You cannot be denied a copy solely because you cannot afford to pay.

(16) Receive an itemized bill and explanation of all charges.

(17) View a list of the hospital’s standard charges for items and services and the health plans the hospital participates with.

(18) Challenge an unexpected bill through the Independent Dispute Resolution process.

(19) Complain without fear of reprisals about the care and services you are receiving and to have the hospital respond to you and if you request it, a written response. If you are not satisfied with the hospital’s response, you can complain to the New York State Health Department. The hospital must provide you with the State Health Department telephone number.

(20) Authorize those family members and other adults who will be given priority to visit consistent with your ability to receive visitors.

(21) Make known your wishes in regard to anatomical gifts. Persons sixteen years of age or older may document their consent to donate their organs, eyes and/or tissues, upon their death, by enrolling in the NYS Donate Life Registry or by documenting their authorization for organ and/or tissue donation in writing in a number of ways (such as a health care proxy, will, donor card, or other signed paper). The health care proxy is available from the hospital.

Public Health Law(PHL)2803 (1)(g)Patient’s Rights, 10NYCRR, 405.7,405.7(a)(1),405.7(c) - 2019

Parents’ Bill of Rights in a Hospital 

As a parent, legal guardian or person with decision-making authority for a pediatric patient receiving care in this hospital, you have the right, consistent with the law, to the following: 

1) To inform the hospital of the name of your child’s primary care provider, if known, and have this information documented in your child’s medical record. 

2) To be assured our hospital will only admit pediatric patients to the extent consistent with our hospital’s ability to provide qualified staff, space and size appropriate equipment necessary for the unique needs of pediatric patients. 

3) To allow at least one parent or guardian to remain with your child at all times, to the extent possible given your child’s health and safety needs. 

4) That all test results completed during your child’s admission or emergency room visit be reviewed by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner who is familiar with your child’s presenting condition.

5) For your child not to be discharged from our hospital or emergency room until any tests that could reasonably be expected to yield critical value results are reviewed by a physician, physician assistant, and/or nurse practitioner and communicated to you or other decision makers, and your child, if appropriate. Critical value results are results that suggest a life-threatening or otherwise significant condition that requires immediate medical attention. 

6) For your child not to be discharged from our hospital or emergency room until you or your child, if appropriate, receives a written discharge plan, which will also be verbally communicated to you and your child or other medical decision makers. The written discharge plan will specifically identify any critical results of laboratory or other diagnostic tests ordered during your child’s stay and will identify any other tests that have not yet been concluded. 

7) To be provided critical value results and the discharge plan for your child in a manner that reasonably ensures that you, your child (if appropriate), or other medical decision makers understand the health information provided in order to make appropriate health decisions. 

8) For your child’s primary care provider, if known, to be provided all laboratory results of this hospitalization or emergency room visit. 

9) To request information about the diagnosis or possible diagnoses that were considered during this episode of care and complications that could develop as well as information about any contact that was made with your child’s primary care provider. 

10) To be provided, upon discharge of your child from the hospital or emergency department, with a phone number that you can call for advice in the event that complications or questions arise concerning your child’s condition. 

Public Health Law (PHL) 2803(i)(g) Patients’ Rights 10NYCRR, Section 405.7 - 11/2017

Patient Advocacy

Our Pledge

We pledge to extend every effort to make our patients and their families experience at Stony Brook Medicine as comfortable and satisfactory as possible. The department of Patient Advocacy is staffed by patient advocates who are available to help with matters concerning hospitalization, answer questions, listen to suggestions, opinions and address many non-medical needs. Patient advocates are available to all inpatients, outpatients and Emergency Department patients 7 days a week between the hours of 8 am to 6:30 pm. Listed below are some of the services patient advocates provide to patients and family.

Our Services

• Act on behalf of patients in seeking solutions for special needs, problems, or concerns of patients, family members and visitors.
• Answer any questions you may have about your rights and responsibilities as a hospital patient.
• Answer questions regarding the Healthcare Proxy Law and offer assistance in formulating a healthcare proxy.
• Address questions concerning services of the Ethics Committee.
• Assist in obtaining sign language and foreign language interpreters.
• Receive your compliments or suggestions about staff and service.
• Provide information on local accommodations, transportation, parking, maps.
• Visit while you are in the hospital to ensure a pleasant stay and enhance patient comfort.
• Provide links to other services within the hospital.

Contact a Patient Advocate

Share a compliment about a staff member of department by writing to the Department of Patient Advocacy.  Compliments are shared with staff and hospital leaders. 

You have the right to contact us when something is wrong too. You can reach our Department to discuss the nature of your complaint with us.  We will provide an investigation that will include speaking with you and your family, speaking with the persons involved in your complaint, reviewing all appropriate documentation and collaborating on a possible resolution.  You can expect that we will resolve your complaint in a timely manner. 

You also have the right to contact an outside agency to file your complaint.  Or if you prefer, you can contact the New York State Department of Health at 1-800-804-5447, or The Joint Commission at 1-800-994-6610 or visit jointcommission.org/contact-us.

We recognize that being ill and in the hospital can be a difficult time for patients and families and assure you of our commitment to offer our assistance should the need arise.  

Department of Patient Advocacy
Stony Brook University Hospital
Hospital Lobby, Level 5, Room 540
Nicolls Road
Stony Brook, New York 11794-7522
Phone: (631) 444-2880
Fax: (631) 444-6637

Email: sbuh_patient_advocacy@stonybrookmedicine.edu

Patient Privacy

Stony Brook Medicine strives to deliver high quality care in the most respectful ways to our patients and their families. Our goal is to protect and maintain the integrity and confidentiality of our patients’ PHI. The information contained in this Patient Privacy link provides information on HIPAA, Notice of Privacy Practices, HIPAA General Information, and HIPAA Resources and are provided to keep you informed of your rights under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other general information related to the privacy and confidentiality of your PHI.

Joint Commission Public Notice

The Joint Commission conducts periodic unannounced accreditation surveys of the Stony Brook University Hospital.

The purpose of these surveys is to evaluate Stony Brook University Hospital's compliance with nationally established Joint Commission standards. Survey results are used to determine whether, and the conditions under which, accreditation should be awarded to the organization.

If you have a safety or quality concern, you are encouraged to call the CEO's Office for resolution:
The Office of the Chief Executive Officer
Stony Brook University Hospital
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8410

Tel: (631) 444-2701

If your safety or quality concerns have not been addressed to your satisfaction, or if you prefer, contact The Joint Commission:
Online: Submit a safety complaint or event online (click here).

Tel: 1 (800) 994-6610

Mail: Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181