Patient Rights & Responsibilities

We at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) hold the welfare and safety of the patient as our highest priority. The most important person in this medical center is you. Our goal is to provide you with the best medical care available. Our success will be reflected in your satisfaction with the treatment you receive. We regard your rights with great importance. You have the right to make your own decisions, and know that your human rights will be preserved and respected. The following is a list of patients’ rights and responsibilities.

Your Rights As A Patient

You have the right to receive respectful and supportive treatment and services:
We will do our very best to provide you with compassionate and respectful care at all times. We will do everything possible to provide a safe hospital environment. You are responsible for keeping yourself informed of the coverage, options, and policies of the TRICARE plan that you subscribe to as a military beneficiary. This information is available in the TRICARE Service Center (Beneficiary Line: 800-444-5445). We will not discriminate in providing you with the best quality care possible because of your: ability to pay your hospital bill, economic status, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation or source of payment, and access to ambulatory clinics according to TRICARE policy.

You have the right to be involved in all aspects of your care:
We will make sure that you know which physician or care provider is primarily responsible for your care. We will explain the professional status and the role of person who help in your care. We will keep you fully inform about your condition. We will clearly explain to you any treatments or procedures that we propose. We will ensure that you are part of the decision-making process in your care. We will request your written consent for procedures that carry more than minimal risk. We will honor your rights to refuse the care that we advise. In some circumstances, especially for active duty patients, laws or regulations may override this right. If the patient is a minor without authority to consent, in most cases, authorization will be obtained from the parent or guardian.

We will honor your Advance Directive:
Regarding limits to the care that you wish to receive, in accordance with Texas law. We will honor your out of hospital DNR in the ambulatory/clinic setting if a copy of the directive is present and the Attending physician states that he/she can support your advance directive. We cannot use an Advance Directives from a previous hospital admission; you must present a copy upon each admission. The Doctors and Nurses have more information and handouts on Advance Directives.

We will take your concerns and complaints seriously and will work hard to resolve them.
Therefore, we will be attentive to your specific needs and request, understanding that they should not interfere with medical care for your or for others.

You have the right to receive timely and appropriate assessment and management of your pain:
We will routinely ask is you are suffering pain. If you are, we will evaluate it further and develop a plan of care with you.

You have the right to have your personal needs respected.
We will respect the confidentiality of your personal information throughout the hospital, and only release it in accordance with applicable law and regulation. For active duty person, complete confidentiality may not be possible, based on requirements to report some conditions and findings. We will respect your need for privacy in conversations, examinations, information sharing, and procedure. Also, you may request that a chaperone be present during an examination or a procedure.

We will communicate with you a language that you understand.
We can provide interpreter and translation services.

You have the right for physical security
In our facilities and our security personnel work 24 hours a day to ensure your safety. Hospital employees wear BAMC badges or nameplates.

You have a right to your dignity, religious, spiritual, cultural, psychosocial, values, beliefs and preferences.
Our pastoral and spiritual care providers (chaplains and priests) conduct daily patient visits and are on-call 24/7. Weekly religious services are held in the hospital chapel and broadcast daily on hospital TV channels 25 and 26. Upon request, Department of Ministry will coordinate other spiritual support you might require as long as it does not interfere with your and other patient’s care or hospital functioning.

We will respect your need to communicate with others both family and friends
You may have a family member, friend, or other individual be present for emotional support during the course of stay, unless the individual’s presence infringes on others’ rights, safety, or is therapeutically contraindicated. If it is medically necessary to limit your communication with others, we will tell you and your family why.

We will use soft fabric restrains, with close and frequent monitoring, if you become so confused that you are in danger of hurting yourself or others. We will remove the restraints as soon as we can safely do so.

You have the right to be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
We will ask you questions about these issues so that we can help you.

You have the right to receive information on law to contact protective services.
At your request, we will give you information on how you may contact protective and advocacy services for children, adults, or the elderly.

You have the right to speak to BAMC Patient Advocate Specialist regarding any aspect of your care, including making a complaint.
We encourage patients and families to speak directly with the clinic or ward OIC or NCOIC if there is a problem. However, if these people cannot solve it, you may contact the Patient Experience Branch at 210-916-2330. You may also contact the Joint Commission at 1-800-994-6610, or email at complaint@jointcommission.org.

You have the right to participate in clinical research when it is appropriate.
Your care provider will discuss this with you when it is appropriate. We will thoroughly explain the proposed research to you and ask your written permission to take part. If you choose not to take in the research, it will not affect the care that we give you. Participation is completely voluntary.

You have the right to expect that this hospital will operate accordance to a code of ethical behavior.
BAMC is firmly committed to managing this hospital according to the highest traditions of military and medical professionalism and ethics. Our Institution Bioethics Committee reviews healthcare ethical topics. This committee is available to you and to our employees if a serious ethical concern comes up in patient care or services.

You have the right to receive a personal copy of these patient rights.
Please ask the ward staff, clinic personnel, or the Patient Advocate Specialist.

If you have any questions or comments regarding patient rights or responsibilities,
We encourage you to contact a BAMC Patient Experience Branch at 210-916-2330, or the ward OIC or NCOIC.

Your Responsibilities As A Patient

• You are responsible for your own healthy behaviors.
• You are responsible for providing us with accurate and complete information about your health and your condition. Please have a list of your current medications (to include what you purchased on your own).
• You are responsible for taking an active part in decision about your healthcare, and following the treatment plan (diet, medications, lab, work, clinic appointments, ect.) that you and your doctor/provider agreed upon, and accepting the consequences of those decisions.
• You are responsible for acknowledging when you do not understand the treatment plan or care decisions.
• You are responsible for showing courtesy and respect for other patients. Families, hospital staff, and visitors. This includes personal and hospital property.
• You are responsible for keeping your schedule appointments on time, and for giving us advance notice if you must cancel or reschedule.
• You are responsible for providing us with your current address and means of contacting you (such as home phone or cell phone).
• You are responsible for providing us with current information regarding any other insurance coverage you have, and to ensure that the financial obligations associated with your care are met in a timely manner.