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QUALITY CARE THAT RESPECTS YOUR RIGHTS

Patient’s Rights & Concerns

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Patient Code of Conduct

Shields Health is committed to providing quality healthcare to its patients and the communities it serves in environments that are safe, caring, equitable, and inclusive to patients, staff and visitors. 

This Patient Code of Conduct helps us to meet this goal. Words or actions that are disrespectful, violent, threatening, offensive, discriminatory, hostile, or harassing are not welcome. Examples of these words or actions include, but are not limited to: 

1. Offensive comments about others’ race, accent, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other personal traits; 

2. Refusal to see a clinician or other staff member based on personal traits; 

3. Physical or verbal threats and/or assaults; 

4. Sexual or vulgar words and/or actions; 

5. Disrupting another patient’s care or experience or staff in delivery of that care; 

6. Possession of weapons or firearms; and 

7. Taking photos or videos of patients, visitors, and/or staff without permission. 

If we believe you have violated this Patient Code of Conduct, you will begiven the chance to explain your point of view. We will always carefully consider your response before we make any decisions about future care at Shields Health. 

Some violations of this Patient Code of Conduct may lead to you being asked to leave the premises and make other plans for your care. Any future non-emergency care at Shields Health will require review and may be restricted. Shields Health may report violations of this Patient Code of Conduct to appropriate authorities, including law enforcement. 

If you witness or are the target of any words or actions in violation of this Patient Code of Conduct, please report it to a member of your care team immediately. 

Reviewed by Accreditation Committee 9/2024 

Unaccompanied Minors in Our Waiting Areas

I. Purpose & Scope – To ensure safety of children, maintain respect of other patients and visitors in the waiting areas, and provide guidance to staff.
II. Background – Staff are not available or trained to supervise young children left alone in the waiting area. Young children pose a potential safety risk if left unattended.

Policy – Parents and guardians are responsible for their children and their behavior while in the waiting room. Children under the age of 12 years old shall not be left in the waiting room unattended. Parents are kindly asked to bring a responsible adult to stay with their child while in the waiting room or make other child care arrangements. If the behavior of a child over the age of 12 is disruptive while in the waiting area, they will be asked by the employee at the front desk to stop the behavior. If the behavior continues, the employee will make the clinical staff aware so the parent/guardian of the patient can quickly discuss with the child. If behavior continues after the parent/guardian discussion, then the scan will end and the patient will be rescheduled to a time when the child will not be present or an adult will accompany the child in the waiting area.

Reviewed by the Accreditation Committee: 1/2025

 Patient Rights and Responsibilities 

  1. Patient Rights. 

This medical facility and/or practice is dedicated to providing the highest quality medical care in a manner that respects your rights. Under the law your rights include the following: 

  1. (a) Upon request, to obtain from the facility the name and specialty, if any, of the physician or other person responsible for your care or the coordination of your care while at this facility; 
  2. (b) To confidentiality of all records and communications to the extent provided by law; 
  3. (c) To have all reasonable requests responded to promptly and adequately within the capacity of the facility; 
  4. (d) Upon request, to obtain an explanation as to the relationship, if any, of the facility to any other health care facility or educational institution insofar as said relationship relates to your care or treatment; 
  5. (e) To obtain from a person designated by the facility a copy of any rules or regulations of the facility which apply to your conduct as a patient or resident; 
  6. (f) Upon request to receive from a person designated by the facility any information which the facility has available relative to financial assistance and free health care; 
  7. (g) Upon request, to inspect your medical records and to receive a copy thereof, and the fee for said copy shall be determined according to applicable law, except that no fee shall be charged to any applicant, beneficiary or individual representing said applicant or beneficiary for furnishing a medical record if the record is requested for the purpose of supporting a claim or appeal under any provision of the Social Security Act or federal or state financial needs-based benefit program, and the facility shall furnish the medical record requested pursuant to a claim or appeal under any provision of the Social Security Act or any federal or state financial needs-based benefit program within 30 days of the request; provided, however, that any person for whom no fee shall be charged shall present reasonable documentation at the time of such records request that the purpose of said request is to support a claim or appeal under any provision of the Social Security Act or any federal or state financial needs-based benefit program. 
  8. (h) To refuse to be examined, observed, or treated by students or any other facility staff without jeopardizing access to psychiatric, psychological, or other medical care or attention; 
  9. (i) To refuse to serve as a research subject and to refuse any care or examination when the primary purpose is educational or informational rather than therapeutic: 

U) To privacy during medical treatment or other rendering of care within the capacity of the facility: 

  1. (k) To prompt life saving treatment in an emergency without discrimination on account of economic status or source of payment and without delaying treatment for purposes of prior discussion of the source of payment unless such delay can be imposed without material risk to your health, and this right shall also extend to those persons not already patients or residents of a facility if said facility has a certified emergency care unit: (I) To informed consent to the extend provided by law: 
  1. (m) Upon request to receive a copy of an itemized bill or other statement of charges submitted to any third party by the facility for care of the patient, and to have a copy of said itemized bill or statement sent to the attending physician of the patient; 
  2. (n) If refused treatment because of economic status or the lack of a source of payment, to prompt and safe transfer to a facility which agrees to receive and treat such patient. Said facility refusing to treat such patient shall be responsible for: ascertaining that the patient may be safely transferred; contacting a facility willing to treat such patient; arranging the transportation; accompanying the patient with necessary and appropriate professional staff to assist in the safety and comfort to the transfer; assuring that the receiving facility assumes the necessary care promptly, and providing pertinent medical information about the patient’s condition; and maintaining records of the foregoing; 
  3. (o) Upon request, to obtain an explanation as to the relationship, if any, of the physician to any other health care facility or educational institutions insofar as said relationship relates to your care or treatment: and such explanation shall include said physician’s ownership or financial interest, if any, in the facility insofar as said ownership relates to the care or treatment of said patient or resident: 
  4. (p) The right to freedom of choice in the selection of a facility, or a physician or a health service mode, except in the case of emergency medical treatment or as otherwise provided for by contract; provided, however, that the position or facility, or health service mode is able to accommodate the patient exercising such right of choice; and 
  5. (q) reasonable request, to receive from a person designated by the facility an itemized bill reflecting charges, and third party credits and to be allowed to examine an explanation of said bill regardless of the source of payment. This information shall also be made available to the patient’s attending physician. 

In the event that you have any questions or concerns about the quality of care or service you are receiving, you are encouraged to speak with the providers directly involved with your care and treatment. If your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, or if you would like the help of someone not immediately involved with your care or treatment, please contact the Safety and Quality department during business hours 800-258-4674 or by email at safetyandquality@shields.com You may also contact: 

In Massachusetts: 

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine 200 Harvard Mill Square, Suite 330 

Wakefield, MA 01880 

Tel: 781-876-8200 

Massachusetts Department of Public Health 

Division of Health Care Safety & Quality 67 Forest Street 

Marlborough, MA 01752 

617-753-8000 

DPH.BHCSQ@massmail.state.ma.us 

In New Hampshire: 

NH Department of Health & Human Services 129 Pleasant Street 

Concord, NH 03301 

Telephone: (603) 271-9039 

E-mail: DHHS.HFA-Certification@dhhs.nh.gov 

In Maine: 

Maine State Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Certification 

41 Anthony Avenue 

11 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0011 

1-800-791-4080 or (207)287-9300 (voice) 

Website: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/dlc 

  1. II. Patient Responsibilities 

In order for the facility to provide you with the best care and treatment possible, your responsibilities as a Patient include the following: 

  1. (a) To provide complete and accurate information regarding your identity, medical history, hospitalizations, medications, and other relevant information; 
  1. (b) To pay close attention to the care you are receiving and to let the person(s) involved in your care know if you have any problems or concerns; 
  1. (c) To be considerate and respectful of other patients and the facility’s staff. 
  1. (d) To cooperate with the facility to ensure that financial obligations related to your care are met. 

Approved by Accreditation Review Date: 2/2024