Richmond Vascular Center - VA's Finest Vascular & Interventional Radiologists

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Observing a patient's right to respect and fostering your dignity, autonomy, positive self-regard, civil rights and involvement in your care is a priority for Richmond Vascular Center (RVC) staff. The care you receive depends partially on you. Therefore, in addition to your rights, you have certain responsibilities as well. These responsibilities shall be presented to you in the spirit of mutual trust and respect. A paper copy of this notice is available to you upon request.

You have the right to:

  • Become informed of your rights as a patient in advance of, or when discontinuing, the provision of care.  You may appoint a representative this information should you desire.
  • Receive Beneficiary Notice of Non-Coverage
  • Exercise these rights without regard to age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, sex, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expressions.
  • Considerate, dignified and respectful care, provided in a safe environment, free from all forms of abuse, neglect, harassment and/or exploitation.
  • Have your cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected.
  • Be informed about your visitation rights.  Visitation rights shall include the right to receive visitors chosen by you, but not limited to your spouse, domestic partner (including same-sex domestic partner), another family member or a friend.  You may withdraw or deny such consent at any time.  You must also be informed of any clinical restriction or limitation on such rights.
  • Access protective and advocacy services or have these services accessed on your behalf.
  • Appropriate assessment and management of pain.
  • Remain free from restraint and seclusion of any form that are not medically necessary or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.
  • Knowledge of the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating your care and the names and professional relationships of other physicians and healthcare providers who will see you.
  • Receive information from your physician about your illness, health status, diagnosis, course of treatment, outcomes of care (including unanticipated outcomes), and your prospects for recovery in terms that you and your representative can understand.
  • Participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care:
    • Participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care includes at a minimum, the right to participate in the development and implementation of your outpatient treatment/care plan, participate in the development and implementation of your discharge plan, and participate in the development and implementation of your pain management plan.
    • RVC will take reasonable steps to determine your wishes concerning designation of a representative to exercise your right to participate in the development of your plan of care.  Unless prohibited by applicable Sate law.
  • Make informed decisions regarding your care. Your rights include being informed of your health status, being involved in care planning and treatment, and being able to request or refuse treatment.  You may wish to delegate your right to make informed decisions to another person.
  • Refuse care, treatment, and services, in accordance with law and regulation.
  • Give or withhold informed consent.
  • Give or withhold informed consent to produce or use film/recordings of you for purposes other than your care.
  • Confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to your care and your stay in RVC.  Your written permission shall be obtained before your medical records can be made available to anyone not directly concerned with your care.
  • Obtain information on disclosure of protected health information, in accordance with federal, state, and local law.
  • Access information contained in your medical record within a reasonable time frame (usually within 48 hours of the request).
  • Formulate advance directives regarding your healthcare, and to have RVC staff and practitioners who provide care in RVC comply with these directives (to the extent provided by state laws and regulations).
  • Have your personal physician notified of your visit at RVC.
  • Have a family member, friend or designated individual be present for emotional support throughout the course of the stay excluding during the procedure where a sterile field is maintained and or the use of fluoroscopy.
  • Full consideration of privacy concerning your medical care program, as well as personal privacy.  Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and shall be conducted discreetly.  You have the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual involved in your healthcare.
  • Receive information in a manner that you understand.  Communications with you shall be effective and provided in a manner that facilitates understanding by you.  Written information provided shall be appropriate to the age, understanding and, as appropriate language of you.  As appropriate, communications specific to the vision, speech, hearing cognitive and language-impaired patient shall be appropriate to the impairment.
  • Reasonable responses to any reasonable request you make for a service.
  • Leave RVC even against the advice of your physician.
  • Reasonable continuity of care.
  • Be advised of RVC's grievance process, should you wish to communicate a concern regarding the quality of care you receive.  Notification of the grievance process includes; contact the Facility Manager at (804)864-8346, and that you shall be provided with a written notice of the grievance determination that contains the name of RVC contact person, the steps taken on your behalf to investigate the grievance, the results of the grievance and the grievance completion date.
  • You may also contact the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at (804) 864-7000 or the Office of the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman at (800)633-4227 with further concerns.
  • Be advised if RVC/personal physician proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting your care or treatment, you have the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.  This incudes your right to a fully informed consent process as it relates to the research, investigation, and/or clinical trial.  All information provided to subjects shall be contained in the medical record or research file, along with the consent form(s).
  • Be informed by your physician, or a delegate of your physician, of the continuing healthcare requirements following your discharge from RVC.
  • Examine and receive an explanation of your bill regardless of source of payment.
  • Have all patient's rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on your behalf.
  • Know that RVC is physician-owned and a list of the physician owners or investors is available upon request.

All RVC staff, medical staff members and contracted agency staff performing patient care activities shall observe these patients' rights.

Patient Responsibilities

  • You have the responsibility to provide accurate and complete information concerning your present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters related to your health.
  • You shall be responsible for reporting perceived risks in your care and unexpected changes in your condition to the responsible practitioner.
  • You and your family shall be responsible for asking questions about your condition, treatments, procedures, and other diagnostic test results.
  • You and your family shall be responsible for asking questions when they do not understand what they have been told about your care of what they are expected to do.
  • You and your family shall be responsible for immediately reporting any concerns or errors you may observe.
  • You shall be responsible for following the treatment plan established by your physician, including the instructions of nurses and other health professionals as they carry out the physician's orders.
  • You shall be responsible for keeping appointments and for notifying RVC when you are unable to do so.
  • You shall be responsible for your actions should you refuse treatment or not follow your physician's orders.
  • You shall be responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of your RVC care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
  • You shall be responsible for following RVC policies and procedures.
  • You shall be responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and RVC staff.
  • You shall be responsible for being respectful of your personal property and that of other persons in RVC.
  • You shall be responsible for providing current and correct methods of contact such as telephone numbers, address of residence, and or email addresses.