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Patient Rights
In response to growing concerns about keeping health information private, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The legislation includes a privacy rule that creates national standards to protect individuals' personal health information.
RWJ Hamilton continues to uphold the privacy and confidentiality of its patients, as it always has. However, we have already begun to implement additional methods to further protect patients' medical information in the electronic age and are prepared to comply fully with HIPAA requirements. The HIPAA privacy rule will not significantly change the way RWJ Hamilton currently protects medical information.
Patients' privacy rights and RWJ Hamilton's privacy practices are outlined in a document called the "Notice of Privacy Practices".
RWJ Hamilton takes seriously its responsibility for protecting patients' medical information. If you should have any questions regarding this information, please contact our Privacy Officer by calling (609)689-7082.
Five Steps to Safer Health Care
- Ask questions if you have doubts or concerns.
- Keep and bring to your doctors and hospital a list of all medicines, inlcuding nonprescription medicine, that you take.
- Get the results of any test or procedure; call if results are not provided.
- Talk to your doctor and be sure to understand discharge instructions.
- Make sure that you understand what will happen if you need surgery.
Smoking
The entire hospital is a smoke-free facility. Smoking is strictly
prohibited in order to provide a healthier environment for patients,
visitors and employees.
Oxygen
Special regulations are in effect when patients are receiving
oxygen. Electrically operated equipment and aerosol products
are not permitted in these areas. Absolutely no smoking is permitted
in any room where oxygen is in use or on standby.
Medications
All medications you take while you are in the hospital are prescribed
by your doctor, dispensed by the hospital pharmacy and administered
by a nurse. Patients are generally not permitted to administer
their own drugs or keep personal medications at their bedside.
If you have questions concerning medications, please speak to
your nurse who will contact the pharmacy.
Valuable or Lost Items
Patients are asked not to bring items of value to the hospital.
If you do bring a valuable item, you may send it home with a
family member or it can be deposited in the safe in the Security
Office. You will be given a written receipt for all items which
must be presented when you withdraw your valuables.
If you do lose something, please notify your nurse right away,
and he/she will make every effort to help you find it. To inquire
about lost articles, please call Security at ext. 6970 or 631-6970.
Dentures/Glasses
Please be careful not to place your dentures and/or glasses
on food trays or on the bed. Denture cups are available from
the nursing staff for your convenience.
ID Bands
The wrist identification band that you receive upon admission
should not be removed during your stay. The ID band provides
positive identification to all those who serve you and acts
as a safeguard for your protection.
Living Wills/Advance Directives
It is Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton's
policy to honor advance directives ("living wills"/designations
of alternate health care decision makers). For those who wish
to execute an advance directive, or request additional information,
sample forms and assistance are available from the Patient Relations
Department at ext. 6550 or 584-6550. Click
here for more information.
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