Patients' Rights and Responsibilities
We are pleased to share this summary about your patient rights with you, so that you know what to expect while receiving services at Acadia. Staff will honor these rights unless certain events happen, such as an emergency, if ordered by a court, if we need to prevent a serious risk of harm to yourself or others, or as otherwise instructed by law.
We are committed to honoring your rights and want you to know that by taking an active role in your healthcare, you can help Northern Light Acadia Hospital caregivers meet your needs and those of future patients.
Basic Rights and Communication
A note about your privacy...
Northern Light Acadia is committed to protecting your privacy. We may share information for safety reasons and/or as required by law, such as situations involving: the Yellow Flag law, Protection from Abuse court orders, law enforcement custody, crimes involving Acadia, and serious concerns of harm to self or others; including Duty to Warn, welfare checks, abuse/neglect/exploitation, and medical or psychiatric emergencies. For a more information about how we handle your information, please see our Notice of Privacy Practices.
northernlighthealth.org/Legal/Notice-of-Privacy-Practice |
Patient Experience Help
A program supervisor can help fix any issues experienced at Acadia. You may also call us.
Director, Patient Experience: 207.973.6316
Acadia Leadership: 207.973.6111 TTY: 207.973.6142
Disability Rights Maine (DRM) for Free Advocacy Help
You are entitled to help with protecting your rights, including filing a grievance.
Online: drme.org/contact
Email: advocate@drme.org
Call: 1.800.452.1948 or 207.626.2774
Mail: 160 Capitol St., Suite 4, Augusta, Maine 04330
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You have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity, and respect, and without discrimination regardless of age, race, beliefs, sex, color, physical or mental impairment, religion or ancestry, familial or marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or source of payment. You have the right to the same civil, human, and legal rights as all citizens. You have the right to receive information in a way that you can understand. This includes free interpretation and translation services, in the language you prefer to discuss or read about your healthcare. This also includes help if you have vision, speech, hearing, or cognitive impairments.
Right to File a Grievance
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about your treatment or a violation of your rights, please speak with a member of our team or their manager. We will not treat you differently because you share concerns with us. If the issue is not addressed, you may file a formal grievance.
Right to Support and Advocacy
Please let us know if you want a support person invited to treatment planning meetings to help you make decisions and protect your rights. You can change your mind at any time.
Individualized Treatment, Program Rules, and Informed Consent
Your treatment team will make a plan with you based on your needs and goals. If Acadia does not offer a service, we will help you get it somewhere else. Your discharge plan may include referrals to other services and help accessing community resources. We will tell you about your responsibilities to be successful when working with your care team and towards your goals, and what to expect if you are not meeting these expectations. You have the right to be told about possible risks and benefits of treatment options, including medication side effects, and to ask questions so you understand and can make an informed decision. Patients aged 14 or older, and parents/ guardians, have the right to agree to or refuse care.
Safety, Freedom from Restrictive Settings, Seclusion/Restraint, and Right to Leave
Acadia will care for you in a safe setting to reduce risks of harm and unexpected events. We will care for you in a way that maximizes your freedom, such as in an outpatient or community setting when appropriate to treat your condition. Unless there is a serious concern for harm to yourself or others, you have a right to be discharged from inpatient hospitalization within 16 hours, and the right to move freely and socialize with others.
Medical Research, Experiments and Sterilization
You may agree to participate in research studies with your written informed consent, or you may refuse. In few situations, the law may allow use of your health information in research but only after removing information that identifies you. In all other instances, we will protect your information from experimental research. You are protected by the court from being sterilized without your informed consent or a court hearing/order.
Physical Health and Well-BeingBasic Rights and Communication
You have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity, and respect, and without discrimination regardless of age, race, beliefs, sex, color, physical or mental impairment, religion or ancestry, familial or marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or source of payment. You have the right to the same civil, human, and legal rights as all citizens. You have the right to receive information in a way that you can understand. This includes free interpretation and translation services, in the language you prefer to discuss or read about your healthcare. This also includes help if you have vision, speech, hearing, or cognitive impairments.
Right to File a Grievance
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about your treatment or a violation of your rights, please speak with a member of our team or their manager. We will not treat you differently because you share concerns with us. If the issue is not addressed, you may file a formal grievance.
Right to Support and Advocacy
Please let us know if you want a support person invited to treatment planning meetings to help you make decisions and protect your rights. You can change your mind at any time.
Individualized Treatment, Program Rules, and Informed Consent
Your treatment team will make a plan with you based on your needs and goals. If Acadia does not offer a service, we will help you get it somewhere else. Your discharge plan may include referrals to other services and help accessing community resources. We will tell you about your responsibilities to be successful when working with your care team and towards your goals, and what to expect if you are not meeting these expectations. You have the right to be told about possible risks and benefits of treatment options, including medication side effects, and to ask questions so you understand and can make an informed decision. Patients aged 14 or older, and parents/ guardians, have the right to agree to or refuse care.
Safety, Freedom from Restrictive Settings, Seclusion/Restraint, and Right to Leave
Acadia will care for you in a safe setting to reduce risks of harm and unexpected events. We will care for you in a way that maximizes your freedom, such as in an outpatient or community setting when appropriate to treat your condition. Unless there is a serious concern for harm to yourself or others, you have a right to be discharged from inpatient hospitalization within 16 hours, and the right to move freely and socialize with others.
Medical Research, Experiments and Sterilization
You may agree to participate in research studies with your written informed consent, or you may refuse. In few situations, the law may allow use of your health information in research but only after removing information that identifies you. In all other instances, we will protect your information from experimental research. You are protected by the court from being sterilized without your informed consent or a court hearing/order.
Physical Health and Well-Being
Inpatient services will offer you nutritious meals and coordinate necessary medical or dental care with your consent. You can get physical exercise and join indoor or outdoor activities.
Privacy, Personal Property and Financial Affairs
You have the right to privacy and to keep and use your personal items, including freedom from unnecessary searches of your person or personal space, except when it affects the rights of others or is a safety risk. You may manage your personal finances unless you have agreed to limits as part of your treatment plan or a court has ordered restrictions, such as with guardianship or a power of attorney.
Visitors and Communication
You may have visitors and communicate privately by mail, phone, or other means without delay or interference from others.
Confidentiality and Access to Records
We keep your health records private unless you let us share your information or as required by certain rules and regulations. You have the right to review your record at any reasonable time and may add comments to clarify information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. For records requests, call 207.973.7873
northernlighthealth.org/HIM
Licensing Deficiency Information
You have the right to know when licensing surveyors find that Acadia has not followed Maine licensing rules or Federal regulations. You may ask us for the survey results for your review.
To access the State of Maine Deficiency report, visit
pfr.maine.gov/ALMSOnline/ALMSQuery/Welcome.aspx
- If searching for a hospital or agency, select “Search Companies”.
- If searching for a licensed individual by name, select “Search Individuals”.
To access Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Deficiency report, visit
cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/guidance-for-laws-regulations/hospitals/hospitals.
- Scroll down the page to “Downloads”
- Select Hospital Surveys with 2567 Statement of Deficiencies - 2024 Q2 (ZIP).
Additional information regarding Patient Rights:
You may request the full Patient Rights document from a staff member or contact:
More information about patient rights may be found using the following references:
French: ATTENTION : Si vous parlez français, des services d'aide linguistique vous sont proposés gratuitement. Appelez le 1-888-986-6341 (ATS : 711).
Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711).
Oromo (Cushite): XIYYEEFFANNAA: Afaan dubbattu Oroomiffa, tajaajila gargaarsa afaanii, kanfaltiidhaan ala, ni argama. Bilbilaa 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711).
Chinese: 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-888-986-6341（TTY：711）。
Vietnamese: CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711).
Tagalog (Filipino): PAUNAWA: Kung nagsasalita ka ng Tagalog, maaari kang gumamit ng mga serbisyo ng tulong sa wika nang walang bayad. Tumawag sa 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711).
Cambodian (Khmer): ប្រយ័ត្ន៖ បើសិនជាអ្នកនិយាយ ភាសាខ្មែរ, សេវាជំនួយផ្នែកភាសា ដោយមិនគិតឈ្នួល គឺអាចមានសំរាប់បំរើអ្នក។ ចូរ ទូរស័ព្ទ 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711)។
Russian: ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы говорите на русском языке, то вам доступны бесплатные услуги перевода. Звоните 1-888-986-6341 (телетайп: 711).
Arabic:
ملحوظة: إذا كنت تتحدث اذكر اللغة، فإن خدمات المساعدة اللغوية تتوافر لك بالمجان. اتصل برقم 1-888-986-6341(رقم
هاتف الصم والبكم: 711).
German: ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen, stehen Ihnen kostenlos sprachliche Hilfsdienstleistungen zur Verfügung. Rufnummer: 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711).
Korean: 주의: 한국어를 사용하시는 경우, 언어 지원 서비스를 무료로 이용하실 수 있습니다. 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711)번으로 전화해 주십시오.
Thai: เรียน: ถ้าคุณพูดภาษาไทยคุณสามารถใช้บริการช่วยเหลือทางภาษาได้ฟรี โทร 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711).
Nilotic (Dinka): PIŊ KENE: Na ye jam në Thuɔŋjaŋ, ke kuɔny yenë kɔc waar thook atɔ̈ kuka lëu yök abac ke cïn wënh cuatë piny. Yuɔpë 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711)
Japanese: 注意事項：日本語を話される場合、無料の言語支援をご利用いただけます。1-888-986-6341（TTY:711）まで、お電話にてご連絡ください。
Polish: UWAGA: Jeżeli mówisz po polsku, możesz skorzystać z bezpłatnej pomocy językowej. Zadzwoń pod numer 1-888-986-6341 (TTY: 711)