Patient Care Issues

Patient Bill of Rights
Patients receiving services at Ocean Medical Center are entitled to the following information:

• Available services and the providers of those services
• Hospital charges and fees
• Diagnosis and treatment options
• Participation in research
• Patient refusal of medication and treatment
• Grievance procedures

Additional patient rights include:

• Freedom from restraints (unless authorized by a physician for limited periods of time)
• Prompt acknowledgment of and response to reports of pain in order to control and/or minimize it
• Courteous treatment, with respect for each patient's civil rights and without discrimination based on age, race, religion, sex, nationality, or ability to pay

Advance Directives (Living Wills)
Advance directive laws ensure your right to determine the course of your treatment should you become incapacitated. To learn more about advance directives, also known as "living wills," please see the "Important Decisions" brochure in your admission packet.

Organ and Tissue Donation
Ocean Medical Center works closely with NJ Sharing Network, a New Jersey-based, federally certified, state-approved organ recovery organization. To become an organ donor, simply fill out an organ donor card. In addition, when renewing your driver's license, ask a representative how to indicate donor status on your new license. It is also important to discuss your wishes about organ and tissue donation with your family. For more information about giving the gift of life, please call NJ Sharing Network at 1-800-SHARE-NJ.

Ethics Consultation
Ethics consultation is an advisory service designed to assist professionals, patients, family members, and staff in making ethical decisions related to health issues. For further information page the Bioethics Consult Committee by dialing the hospital operator.

Providing the Best Care Possible
In order to provide the best care possible for our patients, Ocean Medical Center holds regular "Schwartz Center Rounds" to provide a forum for our hospital caregivers to discuss the emotional aspects of caregiving. A comprehensive study of Schwartz Center Rounds has shown that they help caregivers connect better with patients emotionally; enhance their understanding of the effects of illness on patients and their families; improve communication among caregivers and decrease feelings of caregiver isolation and stress. Schwartz Center Rounds are funded by the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing compassionate health care. For more information about Schwartz Center Rounds, visit www.theschwartzcenter.org.