We encourage all of our patients to be a partner in health by taking an active role in their medical decision-making, with the guidance of their physicians. Our well trained team is available to help you stay in charge of your health, but any decisions about your health are ultimately up to you.

Advance Directives

Having an advance directive (also known as a living will or durable power of attorney for healthcare) means that you have made decisions about your future healthcare. Anyone living in Maine who is 18 years of age or older can complete an advance directive. Under Maine law, any spoken or written decision or instruction about the healthcare you want in the future is considered an advance directive, but it is recommended that you write your decisions on paper with witnesses if possible. The advance directive will go into effect when you are too sick to express your own medical decisions.

Upon admission, you will be asked if you have an advance directive. If you don't, and would like information, a hospital representative will come to your room to assist you with an advance directive packet. If you have an advance directive, a copy should be given to your primary care physician, a close family member, and the Health Information Services (Medical Records) Department to be attached to your permanent medical record. The document will be placed on top of your medical records so that your healthcare providers have easy access to your wishes concerning medical care whenever your records are retrieved. If you have any questions about advance directives, please contact our Patient Services Advocate at advocate@tamc.org, or ext. 4394.

Tissue and Organ Donation

Every year, thousands of Americans benefit from receiving a donated organ or tissue, but choosing to donate organs or tissue is a very personal decision. It is TAMC policy that we do not ask our patients if they are interested in becoming an organ or tissue donor; that decision is best made by you well before it becomes necessary to consider donating. We do, however, have staff available who can answer any questions you may have about being a donor. Contact TAMC's organ donation liaison, Jane Sprague, RN at ext. 4302 for more information. In addition, you may call the New England Organ Bank at 1-800-446-6362. We would also encourage you to speak to your family about your preference as they would have to make the final decision in the event of your death.

Home Care and Hospice

If your provider recommends home care services, you will receive a complete list of all home care and long-term care options to help you make your choice. Services provided by home care staff include skilled nursing, therapies, personal care, medical social services, and maternal/child health. Long term care services are available on an inpatient basis at our Aroostook Health Center facility in Mars Hill.

Hospice services are available to anyone dealing with a terminal illness and their family members. The focus is on palliative care, which means meeting the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of the whole person and family. Hospice affirms life and concentrates on allowing people to live fully and comfortable, while respecting the right of people to choose how and where to live and die.

If you need home care or hospice services, we hope you consider choosing our affiliates Visiting Nurses of Aroostook (VNA), Aroostook Visiting Nurses (AVN), or Hospice of Aroostook. These are all non-profit, home based programs. VNA and Hospice are Medicare certified and reimbursable. Many private insurance plans also cover hospice care. (There is no charge for the services of hospice volunteers.)

For more information about hospice or home care, contact our affiliates at 498-2578 or 800-439-1685.

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

As a patient, your rights include the following:

• You have the right to good and polite care. This care will not change because of your race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or age.
• You have the right to have your illness, treatments, and possible outcomes explained and to talk about choices with your healthcare provider. You have the right to know the names of the people taking care of you and what they do.
• You have the right to agree to or to refuse a treatment or plan for taking care of you, as permitted by law and hospital policy, and to be told of the risks. If you refuse the plan for taking care of you, you will receive other needed and available care.
• You have the right for someone to help you quickly when you complain of pain. You will have someone explain how to measure your pain and your choices for treatment.
• You have the right to make choices about your future healthcare. Written or spoken decisions or an instruction about the healthcare you want in the future is called an Advance Directive. You can tell your doctor or family what you want, but it is best to write it down and to make sure that your doctor, hospital, and family have a copy.
• You have the right to have the pastor or priest of your choice visit you in the hospital and support if you come from a different culture or have a different lifestyle.
• You have the right to have the hospital and your caregivers respect and protect your privacy when taking care of you.
• You have the right to expect your hospital records will be private (confidential). You must be asked before people outside of the hospital can see your records. Your records will be sent with you if you change hospitals or doctors.
• You have the right to complain about your care. You may write it down or tell someone about your complaint and get an answer about your complaint/grievance. Our Patient Services Advocate (ext. 4394) or other appointed staff will help you if you have a complaint/grievance about your care, or if you need the help of a protective service or state agency. (Bureau of Medical Services, Division of Licensing & Certification, 442 Civic Center Drive, 11 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: 1-800-621-8222.) The Patient Services Advocate or the Vice President of Nursing will help you if you feel that you received a treatment that you did not ask for and you want the hospital to look into the incident (ethical issues).
• You have the right to look at your medical record.
• You have the right to expect the hospital to provide you with medical care and services. You have the right to ask to go to a different hospital and you will be discharged or transferred if your medical condition permits. You will be told if there are risks. You will not be moved until another healthcare facility or hospital accepts you.
• You have the right to be told if this hospital works with other hospitals, schools, healthcare providers, or payers that could effect your treatment or care.
• You have the right to agree or refuse to take part in any research that could be part of your care. You will receive all other necessary care.
• You have the right to be told when being in the hospital is no longer needed and what other choices you have.
• You have the right to know how much your hospital stay will cost. You may ask someone to explain your bill to you.

As a patient, you are responsible for the following:

• You are responsible for telling your caregivers about your past and present illness and any medications you take.
• You are responsible for making sure you understand your illness/care and to ask questions if you do not understand.
• You and your visitors are responsible for being polite and kind to other patients/staff and to respect hospital property.
• You are responsible for giving the hospital your health insurance information and for paying your bill on time.
• Your health depends on the choices that you make about your healthcare.

In an emergency, these rights may be suspended, but only in an emergency. We respect your values and will work hard to provide you with high quality care and excellent service.

HIPAA

HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act, which is a Federal Law that helps to ensure the privacy of your protected health information. Part of this law requires healthcare facilities and providers to provide patient with a document called "Notice of Privacy Practices". This document describes how TAMC uses your protected health information and how we may disclose it to others outside TAMC. It also describes your rights concerning your protected health information. The "Notice of Privacy Practices" for TAMC is available eat all points of registration. You will be provided with this document when you first present for services and asked to sign an acknowledgment form indicating you have received the notice.

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