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.
Source: Public Health Law (PHL) Section 2803(i)(g) Patients’ Rights 10NYCRR, Section 405.7
Your rights & responsiblities
Patients' rights & responsibilities
Patient experience
At St. Francis, we strive to exceed the expectations of our patients and families. We know that an admission to a hospital can be a stressful time. We are here to care for both you and your family. Our goal is to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. We are committed to providing all of our patients high quality, compassionate care, and we welcome your feedback. If you need assistance please let any one of our staff members know. If you have a concern on the unit, you may contact the Nurse Manager. Our Patient Experience Department facilitates communication between patients, families and the health care team. For further assistance please contact the Patient Experience Department at (516) 562-6113, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. After hours the Nursing Supervisor is available at ext. 6699. In addition, a Patient Liaison is available to facilitate communication to families of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization or surgical procedures. They are available during the hours of 5:30 am – 9 pm and are located at the Registration C admitting desk.
St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center provides language assistance for patients with limited English proficiency and hearing-impaired individuals. Shortly after discharge from the hospital, you may receive a survey in the mail or by phone that will take just a few moments of your time. Feedback from our patients is very important to us and we would like to hear from you on your overall experience at St. Francis Hospital.
St. Francis Patient & Family Advisory Council
Our Patient and Family Advisory Council includes patients and families who partner with hospital staff to improve the care experience. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Patient Experience at (516) 562-6113.
Patient responsibilities
At St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center, we believe patients and families are partners in ensuring that the best possible care is provided in a healthful, safe environment. We count on you to participate in your care in the following ways:
• Providing patient medical information that is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge, including present symptoms, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, history of violence/behavior issues, and other matters including work, environment and home situations.
• Cooperating with all hospital personnel caring for you. Ask questions if you do not clearly understand the proposed plan of care and what is expected of you.
• Upon admission, provide a copy of your health care proxy or any other advance directives if you have them.
• Consideration of other patients and hospital personnel, and ensuring that your visitors also exercise courtesy and consideration.
• Not smoking.
• Abiding by all hospital rules and regulations.
• Respecting others’ property and the property of hospital personnel.
• Arranging for the prompt payment of all hospital bills and providing necessary information for insurance processing.
• Abiding by the hospital’s discharge policy by vacating the room without delay when discharged.
• Demonstrating respectful interaction with all staff and not exhibiting violent, aggressive, threatening, or intimidating behavior verbally, physically or with gestures.
Hospital policies & practices
Privacy and health information
You have privacy rights under federal and state laws that protect your health information. These laws allow you to access your health information, and set rules and limits on others who can access your health information. Who must follow this law?
• Doctors, nurses, pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers and their vendors.
• Health insurance companies, HMOs and employer group health plans.
• Certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid.
What information is protected?
• Information put in your medical records.
• Conversations between your doctors, nurses and others regarding your care.
• Information about you in your health insurer’s computer system.
• Bill information.
• Most other health information about you held by those who must follow this law.
What rights do you have over your health information?
Providers and health insurers must comply with your right to:
• Ask to see and get a copy of your health records.
• Have corrections added to your health information.
• Receive a notice that tells how your health information may be used and shared.
• Decide if you want to give permission to share your information.
Financial Assistance Program
Compliance Program
The Hospital is committed to providing the best care for patients and that includes a Compliance Program which is designed to prevent and detect fraud and abuse based on federal, state and local regulations. For more information about St. Francis Hospital's Compliance Program, please contact our Compliance Department at (516) 562-6580.
You may also call our confidential—and anonymous— Compliance Helpline at (866) 272-0004.
What are the rules and limits on who can see and receive your health information?
To make sure that your health information is protected in a way that does not interfere with your health care, your information can be used and shared:
• For your treatment and care coordination.
• To pay doctors and hospitals for your health care.
• With family, friends or others you identify who are involved with your health care, unless you object.
• To make sure doctors give good care and nursing homes are clean and safe.
• To protect the public’s health such as by reporting when the flu is prevalent in your area.
• To make required reports to police, such as reporting gunshot wounds.
Without your written permission, your provider cannot:
• Give your health information to your employer.
• Use or share your health information for marketing or advertising purposes.
• Share private notes about mental health counseling.
Thank you for choosing Catholic Health for your health care needs. Reasons may exist why you are unable to pay for the medically necessary services we will provide during your visit. If you do not have health insurance or are unable to pay for all or a portion of your medical bill, it is important that you let us know because we may be able to help.
You will not be denied medically necessary hospital services based on your inability to pay.
For more information, please see the registration representative. You may also contact our Financial Assistance office at (631) 465-6321 or visit our website for a copy of our policy and application: chsli.org/chs-financial-assistance-program
Hospital policies & practices
Right to complain
If you believe your privacy rights are being denied, you can contact our Patient Advocacy Program at (516) 5626113 or our Privacy Officer at (516) 562-6655, or you can file a complaint with the hospital, the Joint Commission (see box below), your health insurer or the U.S. government.
The Joint Commission and reporting a complaint
If you need to report a patient safety concern or file a complaint, contact: Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 jointcommission.org/contact-us/ (630) 792-5800
Advance directives
One of the most important decisions you can make about your care is to fill out an advance directive in case you can no longer speak for yourself. Advance directives are documents that let others know who will decide about your treatment and your wishes about the type of care you want. They will only be used if you become unable to make health care decisions for yourself.
You do not need a lawyer to fill out an advance directive. If you have already filled one out when you enter the hospital, be sure to give a copy to the Admissions Office or to your physician or nurse. Ask your care manager if you would like more information about these options.
Health Care Proxy
This is a legal form that enables you to appoint someone you trust to make treatment decisions. Unless you state otherwise, the person you appoint—your health care agent—can make all decisions to consent to or refuse treatment, including lifesustaining measures. The hospital can provide a copy of the proxy form if you would like to fill one out. You should discuss your treatment wishes with the person you appoint, with your
health care providers, and with family members or other loved ones who may be involved in your care. The Health Care Proxy will only take effect once you can no longer make decisions for yourself. A Health Care Proxy covers only treatment decisions. It does not cover financial decisions or payment for your care.
Living Will
A living will is a statement of your treatment wishes. It can be on a living will form or in other writing. It can include your wishes about any treatment, including the use of resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops or a ventilator if you stop breathing. If you have appointed a health care agent, as discussed above, the living will provides guidance to your agent about your wishes.
Ethical and Religious Directives
Catholic Health provides care to all patients in accordance with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health (“Directives”). In certain instances, health care decisions by or for a patient may conflict with the Directives. In those cases, patients or those authorized to decide for them will be told about the conflict, their rights under the circumstances and steps that can be taken in such cases. If a conflict arises between you and a member of the care team, the hospital or those involved in your care about treatment decisions, or difficult ethical questions come up, the hospital can assist you, your family and other loved ones by providing a social work or ethics consult.
You can first try to discuss the conflict or question with your attending physician. Sometimes he/she can provide medical information that clarifies the concerns and alternatives.
If you feel that your ethical concerns have not been addressed or a conflict continues, you can speak to the nurse or nurse manager and request an ethics consultation. You can also call the Patient Advocacy Program at (516) 562-6113 for assistance.
If those steps do not resolve your concern, you can seek a consultation by the hospital Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee includes individuals with different expertise (physicians, nurses, pastoral care) who provide advice and information in individual cases. Unless specifically required by law, the Ethics Committee does not make a decision, but seeks to be a resource to resolve ethical questions and conflict.
Catholic Health MyChart
Connect with Catholic Health through your own patient portal at mychart.chsli.org
Review your discharge papers for a 30-day access code and directions on how to sign up for MyChart. This free patient portal will connect you to your medical information and even allow you to message your doctor’s office online. Once the portal is set up, you will be able to:
View your test results
Pay your bill and view your statements
Urgent medical matters:
Request a prescription refill
Communicate with your doctor’s office via online messaging
Schedule and view your appointments Begin checking in for your appointment online
Review your health summary and other health information
Please do not use to send any messages requiring urgent attention. For urgent medical matters, call 911.
FAQs and patient guide:
Please see FAQs and Patient Guide at: mychart.chsli.org/MyChartProd/ MyChart_PatientQuickStartGuide.pdf
Technical support:
Please contact the Catholic Health MyChart Service Desk at (631) 465-6100 for assistance.
Access and submit updates to your personal and health information
Scan here to access MyChart
100 Port Washington Boulevard
Roslyn, NY 11576
Our Mission
We, at Catholic Health, humbly join together to bring Christ’s healing mission and the mission of the mercy of the Catholic Church expressed in Catholic health care to our communities.
