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Patient (Legal Consenter) Rights

As a patient of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, I have these rights:

Care delivery

To be free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, socioeconomic status, protected veteran status, sex (including pregnancy and other status protected by applicable law), genetic information, payment source, or marital status. (As a pediatric research hospital, St. Jude considers patient age and other medical factors when deciding if a patient will be accepted.)
To be called by a preferred name when possible, if different from my legal name.
To know the names of the doctors, nurses, and others who take care of me.
To be treated with courtesy and respect.
To be comfortable, nourished, and free to move about when possible.
To have the staff assess and manage my pain properly.
To receive care in a safe setting.
To be free from any form of abuse, neglect, or harassment.

Visitors

To choose whether or not to receive visitors, and which visitors to receive (without discrimination), following St. Jude visiting rules that might limit some visits or visitors for medical or safety reasons.

Communication

To have all my questions answered in words I understand.
To communicate in a manner I understand. This includes language assistance services such as interpreters and translations, and communication aids and services for me, my family, or my companions free of charge and in a timely manner. Please call 901-595-3300 if you have a communication need.

Privacy

To privacy in treatment and to confidential medical records, according to laws that govern privacy and medical records, except required reporting and permitted disclosures.

Informed decisions

To be given information on my condition, diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis.
To access my medical records upon request in a format I prefer.
To be involved in the decision making for my care and the plan of care. This includes the right to make decisions based on personal values, such as the right to refuse treatment or surgery and the right to refuse to take part in research.
To express spiritual beliefs and cultural practices that do not harm others or interfere with medical care.
To request a bioethics consult if difficult patient care or treatment decisions arise by emailing ethics@stjude.org  or by calling 901-595-3300 and asking for the Bioethics Consult Service.
To be informed about hospital policies and rules that apply to me.

Care planning

To be given information about any recommended transfer to another facility.
To be given information that will help me take care of myself upon discharge.

Advance directives

To appoint a surrogate decision-maker or to create an advance directive (if I am an adult). In Tennessee, two types of advance directives are recognized. An appointment of health care agent lets me give someone else the power to speak for me. An advance care plan lets me say what kinds of care I would or would not want (such as life-sustaining measures). An advance directive is not required for me to get medical care. If I am an adult patient, I may request more information and help for creating an advance directive.

My advance directive will be honored unless: the attending provider feels that complying with the directive would be medically inappropriate or would not meet accepted health care standards; or a St. Jude staff member objects to taking part in certain aspects of patient care or treatment. This staff refusal is permitted by the Tennessee Health Care Decisions Act for reasons of conscience, including cultural, religious, or ethical reasons.

If a staff member decides not to take part, St. Jude will continue to care for me while the staff member arranges to transfer my care to another health care provider who can follow through with my wishes, if possible.

These are some types of care that staff members might choose not to take part in under St. Jude policy: giving blood or blood products; continuing treatment at the end of life; withdrawal of support; and withholding food and nutrition support. A member of my medical team will talk to me about what will happen if my advance directive cannot be honored. To complete an advance directive, I can contact my social worker or a member of my care team.

Concerns, complaints, and questions

To voice a complaint about my care without any reprisal or impact on my care, and to have any complaints reviewed and, if possible, resolved.
To express a concern, ask a question, or voice a complaint about patient care, patient rights, or legal compliance by contacting any of the following:
- Any member of the health care team. I can share my concerns with the team.
- My social worker, who is here to assist me and can help inform the care team of my needs.
- Nursing supervisor. This staff member wants to help as soon as I notice a patient care concern. A nursing supervisor is on duty at all times. Call the hospital operator at 901-595-3300 and ask for the nursing supervisor.
- Patient relations coordinator. Contact the patient relations coordinator at 901-595-8383 or patientrelationscoordinator@stjude.org. This staff member generally can be reached from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to help with complaints, including:
- Complaints about patient care, including formal complaints.
  - Concerns involving suspected discrimination, including on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, and complaints regarding Title VI or ADA.
  - Concerns involving suspected abuse. Call 901-595-8383.
- St. Jude HelpLine. The HelpLine is for complaints that are not resolved promptly by a member of the health care team, the nursing supervisor, or the patient relations coordinator. The HelpLine is available at any time, 24 hours a day. A staff member answers the HelpLine Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. After hours, please leave a message for a return call on the next business day. Call 901-595-8383.
  - Privacy Officer. I can contact this staff member if my concern involves privacy or confidentiality rights. Call 901-595-6141, or write to:
    HIPAA Privacy Officer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
    262 Danny Thomas Place, MS 280
    Memphis, TN 38105-3678

I also may contact one of the following agencies about my patient care and patient rights questions or complaints or about the hospital following advance directive requirements:
- The Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Health Care Facilities, Centralized Complaint Intake Unit, 665 Mainstream Drive, Second Floor, Nashville, TN 37243, 1-800-287-0010.
  - DNV Healthcare USA, Inc., Attn: Healthcare Complaints, 19219 Katy Freeway, Suite 175, Houston, TX. 77094, 1-866-496-9647, email: hospitalcomplaint@DNV.com; fax: 281-870-4818. Online portal
  - Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), KEPRO QIO, 5700 Lombardo Center Dr., Suite 100, Seven Hills, OH 44131, 1-844-430-9504.
  - I also may file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at www.hhs.gov/ocr/filing-with-ocr/index.html; or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave., SW Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201, 1-800-368-1019, 1-800-537-7697 (TDD). Download complaint forms.

Let your voice be heard

Be a part of our virtual advisory council, St. Jude Voice.

Follow Caregivers SHARE, a St. Jude Podcast

Listen to advice and encouragement from caregivers of children with serious illness.

Get support for caregivers and siblings

Learn more about the psychosocial support available to caregivers and siblings, including groups, workshops, and other special programs. Email CaregiverSupport@stjude.org.

Language assistance services

If you speak another language, free assistance services are available to you. Call 1-866-278-5833.

Discrimination is against the law

St. Jude does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.