Skip to main content

Southeast Lab Services, previously located at 62 Doctors’ Park, is now open at 60 Doctors’ Park, upper level. Office hours are Monday – Friday from 8am – 4:30 pm.

Patient Rights & Responsibilities

SoutheastHEALTH and its staff are committed to a tradition of providing quality healthcare. In accordance with this commitment, we present this statement in the hope that a better understanding between our organization and the patient and family will be mutually beneficial.

Patient Rights

As a patient you have the right to:

  • Receive information about rules and policies about your rights
  • Receive considerate and respectful care, including confidentiality, privacy, security and safety
  • Receive care in a safe setting free from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and harassment
  • Receive care in an environment that preserves dignity and supports a positive self-image
  • Services provided to all regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, color, national origin, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sources of payment for care
  • Have your medical records kept confidential and released only to those agencies or persons having your permission or allowed by federal or state law
  • Receive information about the person(s) responsible for your care, treatment and services, including those responsible for authorizing and performing procedures or treatment
  • Participate or have your designated representative participate in treatment decisions and the care planning process
  • Be involved or have your designated representative be involved in your discharge planning, including being informed of service options that are available to you and a choice of agencies, which provide the service
  • Have your pain assessed and managed
  • Have a friend or other individual present for emotional support unless the visit infringes on others’ rights or safety or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated
  • Be free from restraints or seclusion unless medically necessary or needed to ensure your immediate physical safety or the safety of others
  • Receive complete and understandable information regarding your illness, treatment and possible outcomes
  • Receive communication you can understand, have an interpreter assist with speaking or hearing barriers, and receive aids to assist with vision, speech, hearing and other impairments
  • Provide you with a reasonable response to a request for service
  • Participate, or decline to participate, in a research study if asked
  • Receive healthcare that considers your psychosocial, spiritual and cultural values
  • Have the personal possessions you brought to the SoutheastHEALTH facility protected
  • Accept medical care or to refuse it to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of refusal
  • Appoint a surrogate to make healthcare decisions to the extent permitted by law
  • Have an advance directive (healthcare directive, durable power of attorney for healthcare or living will) that states your wishes when you cannot speak for yourself
  • Participate in the consideration of ethical issues that arise in your care
  • Receive compassionate end-of-life care
  • Receive information about and be informed of business relationships of this facility to other healthcare providers that may impact your care
  • Review or have your designated representative review the medical record and receive copies of the record at a reasonable photocopy fee
  • Before undergoing any procedure, you and your legal representative will voluntarily provide informed consent. You will be informed if alternatives for care or treatment exist
  • Be informed of your health status, treatment options, services and likely outcomes
  • Be informed of the outcome of care, including unanticipated outcomes
  • Receive information about healthcare costs and bills
  • Voice a complaint or recommend a change without being subjected to coercion, discrimination, reprisal or unreasonable interruption of care, treatment and services
  • File a grievance and expect a prompt resolution

Patient Responsibilities

As a patient, you have a responsibility to:

  • Get involved in your care; please speak up if you have questions or concerns, or if you do not understand your treatment plan
  • Provide accurate and complete information to assist with diagnosis and treatment
  • Report changes in your condition
  • Follow the care, treatment and service plan developed
  • Take responsibility for the outcome if you do not follow the care, treatment and service plan
  • Respect the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of other patients and staff
  • Respect SoutheastHEALTH property as well as others' property
  • Meet the financial obligation agreed to with the hospital or other SoutheastHEALTH provider(s)

Filing a Grievance

A grievance can be filed verbally to the Patient Experience department during normal business hours or in writing. You may contact:

Southeast Hospital
Patient Experience - Patient Advocate
1701 Lacey St.
Cape Girardeau MO 63701
573.331.6643
Fax: 573.986.5915

Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County
Ginger McCord, MSN, RN
Director of Quality Management
1200 N. One Mile Road
Dexter, MO 63841
573.614.1924

Filing With an Outside Agency

If you wish to file a grievance with an outside agency you may do so by contacting the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, The Joint Commission and/or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at the following addresses and phone numbers:.

State of Missouri
Dept. of Health Facility Regulations
912 Wildwood Drive
PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570
800.392.0210

The Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
complaint@jointcommission.org
24-Hour Hotline: 800.994.6610

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
601 E. 12th St., Room 248
Kansas City, MO 64106
816.426.7277
Fax: 816.426.3686
TDD: 816.426.7065