Patient Rights

1. You have the right to be treated without discrimination based on sex, race, religion, nationality, or socioeconomic status. All patients should be given impartial access to appropriate medical care.
2. All of the staff members at Taitung Christian Hospital (TCH) should be wearing a name tag/ID card. If a healthcare professional providing care is not wearing a name tag/ID card, and therefore making you unable to identify who he/she is, you have the right to refuse his/her care.
3. TCH adopts a “patient-centered approach.” During your hospital stay, your doctor should explain to you or your primary family caregivers your condition, tests and examinations, treatment plans, prognosis, different treatment options, and possible risks of treatment.
4. You and your primary family caregivers have the right to consult and discuss with your doctor about your diagnosis, treatment, and care. You have the right to make your own treatment decisions, including refusing treatment and seeking a second opinion.
5. TCH respects patient privacy; all information regarding your health condition and medical records will be properly stored, and will be kept confidential pursuant to relevant laws and regulations.
6. To protect patient autonomy, patients may choose to sign the “Advance Directives in Hospice and Palliative Care,” the “Do Not Resuscitate Form,” the “Medical Power of Attorney Form,” and the “Statement of Revocation for Advance Directives in Hospice and Palliative Care,” which are available at TCH’s Emergency Department counter and nursing stations. Signing these forms means that physicians are obligated to respect the patient’s wishes—when treating a terminally ill patient, physicians will not choose curative care or resuscitation, but will only provide comfort care to soothe him/her and relieve suffering, unless the patient changes his/her mind.
7. To save or improve lives, TCH abides by the National Health Policy; organ and/or tissue donation consent forms are available at the admission counter. The forms serve as a guideline for organ and/or tissue donation. It also allows the signer’s family to fully understand the patient’s wishes.

Patient Responsibilities

1. To ensure safety, you and your family are responsible to proactively share with your healthcare provider accurate and complete information regarding your health, medical history, drug allergies, travel history, whether you are suffering from infectious diseases, and so forth.
2. You and your family are expected to actively participate in decisions about your treatment plans and to reach a consensus. Before signing a consent form or an agreement, or deciding whether you are to receive a treatment, you and your family should have a clear understanding of the content and the possible outcomes of the various treatment methods. Should you and your family have any questions or concerns regarding the treatment plans or care, please discuss with your doctor or the healthcare provider in charge.
3. Please abide by TCH’s policies and administrative procedures. Do not ask healthcare providers to provide untrue, incorrect information or diagnosis certificate.
4. If you have difficulty paying the out-of-pocket medical expenses that are not covered by the National Health Insurance, please discuss with TCH’s social workers or your healthcare providers.
5. Please follow your doctor’s orders and instructions regarding treatments, hospital discharge, or transfer to another medical facility. Do not waste medical resources. You are expected to make a conscious effort to properly use TCH’s equipment, and to properly store and care for the equipment supplied.
6. Hospitals are considered as public spaces. You are responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and clinic staff. Please comply with TCH’s visiting policies and infection control measures. Smoking, drinking alcohol, chewing/spitting betel nuts, burning incense, joss paper, or talisman paper, and other relevant behaviors are banned on hospital grounds. Please do not bring foods that have a strong smell, such as durians, to the hospital. Illegal, dangerous items are also prohibited on hospital sites.
7. Lockers are available at TCH, and are for the purpose of allowing patients or their family to store personal belongings. However, TCH is not responsible for any loss or damages of your personal belongings and valuables. Please properly secure your personal belongings and valuables.
8. To facilitate effective medical services and to maintain the privacy of other patients and TCH staff, photographing, interviewing, videotaping, and voice recording are not allowed on hospital grounds without the permission or consent from the parties involved.