Patient Rights & Responsibilities

PTHA patients have the right to:

PTHA patients have the following rights:

1. Be treated with respect, consideration, and dignity.
2. Receive services without regard to race, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.
3. Practice the religion of choice as long as the practice does not infringe on the rights and treatment of others or the treatment service. Individual patients have the right to refuse participation in any religious practice.
4. Be reasonably accommodated in case of sensory or physical disability, limited ability to communicate, limited English proficiency, and cultural differences.
5. Be free of exploitation, including physical and financial exploitation.
6. Have privacy protected. The patient has the right to know that all records and other information about his/her care will be kept confidential in accord with state and federal confidentiality regulations.
7. Preview his/her clinical record in the presence of the administrator or designee and be able to request amendments or corrections.
8. Obtain information concerning their diagnosis, evaluation, 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.
9. Participate in decisions involving their health care, except when such participation is contraindicated for medical reasons.
10. Change providers if other qualified providers are available.
11. Know the qualifications of the staff providing them care.
12. Receive a copy of the complaint and grievance procedure upon request, to file a complaint and know that the complaints will not affect their ability to get healthcare or affect how they are treated.
13. Be free from all forms of abuse and harassment including sexual, physical and financial exploitation.
14. Give, withhold or withdraw consent to special procedures or treatments. In emergency situations (life threatening or possibility of permanent loss of limbs, eyesight or other critical functions) the physicians may not be able to provide extensive information to the patient because of the loss of precious time which could be more dangerous for the patient.
15. Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. In this event, the patient must be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
16. Ask how his/her local health facility is related to other non-local health facilities (private, state, country, university or other federal facilities).
17. When a patient’s condition is generally considered by medical authorities to be untreatable by normal accepted methods, then the following choices are available to the patient and his/her physician.
    a.  Make the patient as comfortable as possible and let the disease run its course.
    b.  Suggest that the patient consider treatments by new and experimental (unproven) methods. The patient has the right to know of plans to use unproven methods or treatment that will affect his/her care or treatment and has the right to refuse to take part in any of these research projects.

18. Expect reasonable continuity of care such as:
    a.  To know what appointment times are available to him or
    b.  To know what services are available to him or
    c.  To know where the services can be
19. Prepare Advance Directives which will tell our providers and staff what you want us to do if you are unable to make medical decisions on your own.
20. Receive a written copy of his/her rights and responsibilities before receiving services, with availabilities in alternate formats for individuals who are blind.

1. A minor patient 13 years or older may consent to outpatient treatment for mental health and substance abuse without parental knowledge or consent.
2. A minor patient 14 years or older may consent to treatment of sexually transmitted diseases without parental knowledge or consent.
3. A minor patient, regardless of age, may consent to birth control or pregnancy-related care.
4. Emancipated minors may consent to their own treatment.

During the visit to the PTHA, patients are asked to accept responsibility for the following:

1. Behaving respectfully towards all healthcare professionals and staff, as well as other patients and visitors.
2. Making and keeping appointments, as well as calling to cancel or change appointments.
3. Informing the staff of any address, phone number, insurance, or Medicaid/Medicare changes.
4. Providing complete and accurate information to the best of his/her ability about his/her health, any medications, including over the counter products and dietary supplements, and any allergies or sensitivities.
5. Following the treatment plan prescribed by his/her provider and participating in his/her care.
6. Making sure he/she understands the directions, and treatment goals given by their health provider. Understand the risks of not following through with
7. Providing supervision for children.
8. Complying with the posted rules.
9. Knowing how to reach a medical provider after the facility closes.
10. Obtaining referral information, knowing appointment time and date, keeping appointment, and calling to cancel or change appointment.
11. Providing a responsible adult to provide transportation home and to remain with him/her as directed by the provider or as indicated on discharge instructions.

Individual copies of the Patient Rights and Responsibilities will be provided at registration, upon an update, and will be available to any patient and/or interested party on the PTHA website and upon request.

This Patient Rights and Responsibilities Policy supplements the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

For issues related to your care at PTHA contact (253) 593-0232. If after hours or urgent, press 9 to be connected with the answering service for the on-call providers.  For emergency issues please dial 911.

If you have concerns regarding your care or service provided by PTHA, we want to work with you to address your issues. We ask you to:

1. Notify any staff member of your concern.
2. Speak with management staff directly about your concern.
3. Fill out a complaint form.

To the best of our ability we will:

1. Answer your concerns within a reasonable length of time.
2. Do all that is possible to resolve any concern you may have.

In addition, we encourage you to contact our Quality & Compliance department using one of the following methods:

• Email: PatientFeedback@eptha.com
• Call: (253) 593-0236 
• Text: “Feedback” to: (253) 593-0238
• Ask: for a Patient Communication Form during your visit

• Each agency licensed by the department to provide any behavioral health service must develop a statement of individual participant rights applicable to the service categories the agency is licensed for, to ensure an individual’s rights are protected in compliance with chapters 96A, 71.05, 71.12, and 71.34 RCW. In addition, the agency must develop a general statement of individual participant rights that incorporates at a minimum the following statements. “You have the right to:
  • Receive services without regard to race, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability;
  • Practice the religion of choice as long as the practice does not infringe on the rights and treatment of others or the treatment service. Individual participants have the right to refuse participation in any religious practice;
  • Be reasonably accommodated in case of sensory or physical disability, limited ability to communicate, limited English proficiency, and cultural differences;
  • Be treated with respect, dignity and privacy, except that staff may conduct reasonable searches to detect and prevent possession or use of contraband on the premises;
  • Be free of any sexual harassment;
  • Be free of exploitation, including physical and financial exploitation;
  • Have all clinical and personal information treated in accord with state and federal confidentiality regulations;
  • Review your clinical record in the presence of the administrator or designee and be given an opportunity to request amendments or corrections;
  • Receive a copy of agency grievance system procedures upon request and to file a grievance with the agency, or behavioral health organization (BHO), if applicable, if you believe your rights have been violated; and
  • Lodge a complaint with the department when you feel the agency has violated a WAC requirement regulating behavior health
• Each agency must ensure the applicable individual participant rights described in subsection (1) of this section are:
  • Provided in writing to each individual on or before admission;
  • Available in alternative formats for individuals who are blind;
  • Translated to the most commonly used languages in the agency’s service area;
  • Posted in public areas; and
  • Available to any participant upon
• Each agency must ensure all research concerning an individual whose cost of care is publicly funded is done in accordance with chapter 388-04 WAC, protection of human research subjects, and other applicable state and federal rules and
• In addition to the requirements in this section, each agency providing services to Medicaid recipients must ensure an individual seeking or participating in behavioral health treatment services, or the person legally responsible for the individual is informed of their Medicaid rights at time of admission and in a manner that is understandable to the individual or legally responsible
• The grievance system rules in WAC 388-877-0654 through WAC 388-877-6750

apply to an individual who receives behavioral health services funded through a federal Medicaid program or sources other than a federal Medicaid program. [Statutory Authority:

RCW 70.02.290, 70.02.340, 70.96A.040(4), 71.05.560, 71.24.035 (5)(c), 71.34.380, and

2014 c 225. WSR 16-13-087, § 388-877-0600, filed 6/15/16, effective 7/16/16. Statutory

Authority: Chapters 70.02, 70.96A, 71.05, 71.24, 71.34, 74.50 RCW,

RCW 74.08.090, 43.20A.890, and 42 C.F.R. Part 8. WSR 13-12-054, § 388-877-0600, filed

5/31/13, effective 7/1/13.]