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Rights & Responsibilities

En Español

Seattle Children's is committed to high-quality, family-centered care. Patients, parents and families are important members of the Children?s team. The information below helps you and your child understand your rights and responsibilities as members of the care team.

See Rights and Responsibilities (PDF 4.3MB) for an electronic copy of the brochure on this topic. Hardcopies are available in the Family Resource Center located on the 5th floor near the Train elevators. To request that a copy be sent to you, call (206) 987-2201.

While at Children?s, You and Your Family Can Expect:

Respectful care

• We will introduce ourselves and explain our role in your child?s care.
• We will provide considerate care that safeguards personal dignity and respects your cultural, social and spiritual values.
• We will honor you and your child?s personal privacy.
• We will keep your child?s medical records and discussions about your child?s care confidential.
• You can expect that actions will be taken to relieve your child?s pain using medicines and other comfort measures.*
• We will provide safe care in a secure setting, free from abuse, with access to protective services.*
• We will keep your child free from restraints and seclusion except when needed and as provided by law.

Support for your child and family

• If you choose, you can stay with your child during most medical treatments.
• We will provide a place for one adult family member to spend the night near your child.
• We can help you meet other families who have had experiences like yours.
• We will offer support for your family through pastoral care and other spiritual services.*
• You have the right to voice complaints about care and file a grievance. You can expect prompt review, and resolution when possible.

Clear information

• We will involve you in your child?s plan of care and treatment outcomes in a way that you can understand.
• We will communicate with your child?s primary care provider, including prompt notice of hospital admission and other significant change in therapy.
• Before your child is discharged or transfers from the hospital, we will teach you about the care she will need.
• We will talk with you about people and places in your community that can help you with your child?s health care needs.
• You may review your child?s medical records and request a copy of them.
• You can discuss the cost of your child?s care and apply for Children?s financial assistance even if you have insurance.*
• We will give you a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices, which explains how Children?s uses patient information and tells about other rights you have about your child?s health information. We will also help you use those rights.*
• We will give you a copy of About Your Hospital Bill, which answers some of the most common questions about bills.

Choices about your child?s care

• We will explain treatment options and their risks so that you can make informed decisions about care, including refusals as permitted by law.
• You may choose to help with your child?s care when it is safe to do so.
• You may choose to have a chaperone, such as a medical assistant, present during physical exams and sensitive procedures.
• We will provide informed consent about research participation. You can refuse to be part of any research project without compromising care.
• You may request a change in health care providers.
• You may request an ethics consult when confusing or difficult care issues arise.*

Parents and Family Members

Your responsibilities as partners in patient care:

• Share accurate and complete information about your child?s health and medical history.
• Ask questions and take an active part in decisions about your child?s plan of care.
• Tell us right away if you have concerns about your child?s safety or feel that his care is at risk.
• Discuss pain relief options and help make an effective pain relief plan for your child.
• Learn about your child?s health care needs. Follow the treatment plan at home or tell us if you are unable to follow the plan.
• Keep appointments or let us know if you cannot come.
• Respect the privacy and the rights of other children, families and staff at Children?s.
• Follow Children?s rules including the visiting and no-smoking policies. Alcohol, illegal drugs, firearms and weapons are not allowed at Children?s.
• Follow your health insurance rules so that your bill is paid and all insurance referrals are completed.

Children and Teenagers

As a patient at Children?s Hospital, you can expect to:

• Be called by your name and be given the names and responsibilities of your doctors, nurses and any others who help care for you.
• Have staff take the time to listen, hear what you say and value your opinions and choices.
• Have friendly, caring staff and respectful, prompt treatment.
• Feel safe and comfortable. If you are in pain, be given medicine or other comfort measures for pain relief.
• Have privacy during exams and treatments. Have the information about your illness kept private.
• Be involved in decisions about your care and have staff answer your questions truthfully.
• Have your family and friends around to comfort you and help take care of you when they are able and it is safe.
• Be provided with an interpreter or assistive device if one is needed.
• Have time to rest, sleep, study and play.
• Learn what you need to know and do when you go home.

As a patient at Children?s Hospital, your responsibility is to try your best to treat other patients, families and staff with respect and to follow the hospital safety rules.

* There is a brochure on this topic in the Family Resource Center located on the 5th floor near the Train elevators.

Interpreter Services

Children?s offers interpreter services for deaf, hard-of-hearing or non-English-speaking families. To request these services ask your child?s nurse or health care provider, or call:

• (206) 987-7325, Option 1 (Voice)
• (866) 583-1527 (Toll-free)
• (206) 987-5063 (TTY)

Do You Have Comments or Concerns?

We hope you feel that Children?s staff is working with you to provide the best care for your child. We invite you to share your comments and concerns. Your thoughts are important to us and help improve the care we provide to patients and families.

If you have a comment or compliment about our services, you can complete a comment card, found at entrances and near elevators, or, send us feedback by e-mail to family.feedback@seattlechildrens.org. You may call Patient and Family Relations at
(206) 987-2550, or visit www.seattlechildrens.org/familyfeedback.

If you have concerns about patient care, please talk with someone on your child?s care team.

You may also:

• Ask to talk with the charge nurse or department manager.
• Talk with someone from Patient and Family Relations.
• Call the operator and ask for the nursing supervisor:
  • (206) 987-2000 (Voice)
  • (206) 987-2280 (TTY)
  • (866) 987-2000 (Toll-free)
• Write to:
  • Seattle Children's
    Patient and Family Relations
    P.O. Box 5371, T-5112
    Seattle, WA 98105-0371

If you want to file a grievance with Children?s, call or write using our address above. We will acknowledge your concern, complete a thorough review, and provide a final response within 30 days.

You may also file a grievance directly with the State Department of Health at
(800) 633-6828; or, Hospital Licensing Program, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA, 98504-7852.

If your concerns about care and safety at Children?s cannot be resolved through our organization, you may contact The Joint Commission, Office of Quality Monitoring to register your complaint by calling (800) 994-6610 or by e-mail to: complaint@jointcommission.org. Or, you may visit: www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Complaint/.

Our Mission

We believe all children have unique needs and should grow up without illness or injury. With the support of the community and through our spirit of inquiry, we will prevent, treat and eliminate pediatric disease.

Children?s provides health care appropriate for the special needs of children regardless of race, sex, creed, ethnicity or disability. Financial assistance for medically necessary services is based on family income and hospital resources and is provided to children under age 21 living in Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.

Seattle Children's provides health care for the special needs of children regardless of race, sex, creed, ethnicity or disability. Financial assistance for medically necessary services is based on family income and hospital resources and is provided to children under age 21 whose primary residence is Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.