Patients are treated with respect, consideration, and dignity.

Patients are provided appropriate privacy.

Patient disclosures and records are treated confidentially, and, except when required by law, patients are given the opportunity to approve or refuse their release.

Patients are provided, to the degree known, complete information concerning their diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. When it is medically inadvisable to give such information to a patient, the information is provided to a person designated by the patient or to a legally authorized person.

Patients are given the opportunity to participate in decisions involving their health care, except when such participation is contraindicated for medical reasons.

Information is available to patients and staff concerning:

• Patient rights, including those specified above
• Patient conduct and responsibilities
• Services available at the Surgery Center of Beaufort
• Provisions for after hours and emergency care
• Fees for services and payment policies
• Patient’s right to refuse to participate in experimental research
• Advance directives policy of the Surgery Center of Beaufort
• Provider credentialing

Patients are informed of their right to change physicians if other qualified physicians are available.

Patients are informed of procedures for expressing suggestions to the Center and policies regarding grievance procedures and external appeals.

For questions or comments, please contact the Administrator or Business Office Manager at 843 322 5800. Your opinions are always welcome and appreciated. If you choose, you may contact the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Division of Health Licensing, 2400 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201, phone (803) 545-4370. Medicare beneficiaries may contact the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman to receive the information and help they need to understand Medicare options, rights and protections at www.cms.hhs.gov/ombudsman/resources.asp.

The Surgery Center of Beaufort is a general multi-specialty Ambulatory Surgery Center dedicated to performing outpatient surgical procedures approved for ambulatory surgery. The Surgery Center of Beaufort will not honor advance directives.

In the event a life-threatening emergency, the Center will implement emergency procedures, as necessary to stabilize the patient, and transfer the patient to an acute health care facility where the attending physician and family can make an informed decision regarding the patient’s well being.

If at any time during a patient’s stay, the patient, family, and/or physician do not agree with the policies of the Center regarding the advance directives, arrangements will be made to provide care in another location or by another practitioner without discrimination or malice toward the Center, its staff, the physician, or the patient and family.