Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine specialties are expanding their office space. Sleep services will remain in Suite D-24 and Pulmonary will move to Suite D-21, 25 Newell Road in Bristol, beginning March 25.

Patient Rights & Responsibilities

At Bristol Hospital we recognize the importance of support from family, loved ones and friends in the patient’s recovery process. Bristol Hospital’s visiting hours have been established to be as convenient as possible for family and friends, while providing appropriate time for patients to receive care and recover. The following are guidelines. Please know that they may be modified at any time based on specific patient needs.

Bristol Hospital ensures that all visitors enjoy visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences. Patients (or support person where appropriate) have the right to receive the visitors whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to a spouse (including a same-sex spouse), a domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member (including same-sex parents), or a friend.
 
Bristol Hospital will not deny visitation privileges based on race, religion, ethnicity, language, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. The patient is notified of their rights to have visitors and designate a “support person” of their choosing. The patient has the right to change his or her mind about such designation, in which case he or she should notify the health care provider that he or she no longer wants a particular person to visit.

At Bristol Hospital, you have the right to:

  • Receive information about your rights prior to being a patient or before discontinuing care whenever possible.
  • Considerate and respectful care, in a safe environment.
  • To receive visitors that you have designated unless their presence infringes on others’ rights, safety or is therapeutically contraindicated and the right to withdraw the consent for a person to visit. 
  • Personal privacy and the confidentiality of your medical record. 
  • Be treated with dignity.
  • Obtain from your physician and other caregivers relevant, current and understandable information concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
  • Be informed about and participate in your care and treatment plans.
  • Have your physician and a family member or other person of your choice notified of your admission to the hospital.
  • Create an advance directive.
  • Know the names of health care providers and their role in your care.
  • Be free from seclusion and restraints of any form that are not medically necessary for your safety or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation.
  • Be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
  • Participate in ethical decisions around your care.
  • Request medically appropriate and necessary treatment.
  • Refuse treatment as allowed by law.
  • Know what safety measures may be used during your care.
  • Ask for a second opinion about your care.
  • Proper assessment and management of your pain or discomfort.
  • Request an interpreter.
  • Review and obtain copies of your medical records.
  • Receive treatment in an environment that is sensitive to your beliefs, values and culture.
  • Be informed about the care you will need after discharge and available resources.
  • Receive information about and an explanation of your hospital bill.
  • To be informed of any relationship that we may have with organizations that may affect your care.
  • Request that an autopsy be performed either here or arrange for any other institution of choice to perform.
  • Consent or decline to participate in research studies.


Express a complaint or grievance by contacting the Patient and Customer Relations Department at 860.585.3269. Contact the following agencies if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your grievance.

Connecticut Department of Public Health
410 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Phone: 860.509.7400 or 1.800.842.0038  
TTY: 860.509.7191
or
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Phone: 1.800.994.6610 www.jcaho.org

 

Patient Responsibility

At Bristol Hospital, these are your responsibilities as a patient:

  • Provide complete and accurate information about your health including your present condition, past illnesses, hospitalizations, and any medications, natural products or vitamins you may be taking.
  • Tell us what you need. If you do not understand your care plan, ask questions.
  • Provide complete and accurate information including your family contact, address, and home phone number, date of birth, Social Security number, insurance carrier and employers when it is necessary.
  • Provide insurance information and work with us to arrange payments when needed to fulfill your financial obligations to the hospital.
  • Provide a copy of your Advance Directive to the hospital and physician if you have one.
  • Follow our guidance in helping you get well.
  • Abide by all hospital rules and regulations.
  • Comply with the NO SMOKING policy.
  • Comply with the visitor policies to ensure the rights of all patients. Be considerate of noise level, privacy and safety of all patients.


If you are not satisfied with your care, please tell us how we can improve.

For questions or more information about your Rights & Responsibilities, contact the Patient & Customer Relations Department at 860.585.3269.

 

Patient Complaint/Grievance Process

Bristol Hospital is committed to providing all patients, and/or their representative the opportunity to express dissatisfaction.
1.    A complaint is an issue that is easily solved while the patient is still in the hospital by staff present or anyone who can quickly be at the patient’s location. For example,  the staff may request a supervisor, patient representative or other administrative member of the staff to assist in resolving the issue.
2.    A grievance is a written complaint that is made to the hospital by a patient or the patient’s representative or a verbal complaint that has been referred to the Patient and Customer Relations Department and the patient remains dissatisfied with the resolution or response from the hospital.
3.    A written or verbal acknowledgement of all grievances will be made to the person filing it within seven business days. If the grievance is still under investigation after seven business days, an estimated time for final response will also be communicated to the complainant.
4.    Time frames for reviewing will vary depending on the nature of the grievance. Periodic communication will continue if the resolution takes longer than 30 days.
5.    The patient/patient representative will receive a written notice of Bristol Hospital’s investigation within one week of the completion of the review.

To file a complaint or grievance please contact the Patient and Customer Relations Department at  860.585.3269. If the patient/patient representative is not satisfied with the Bristol Hospital response they may contact:

Department of Public Health 
410 Capital Avenue, Hartford, CT 06134 Phone: 1.800.842.0038 or TTY: 1.860.509.7191
or
The Joint Commission,
One Renaissance Boulevard,
Oakbrook Terrace, Il 60181
Phone: 1.800.994.6610

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