Black Hills Surgical Hospital | 216 Anamaria Drive | Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
Phone: (605) 721-4700 | Toll Free: 1 (800) 818-1890 | Fax: (605) 721-4708

Under Public Law 101-508, the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1991, you have certain rights and responsibilities when you enter any healthcare area. For your convenience, these rights and responsibilities are outlined below.

Your Rights

As a patient, you have the right to:

• Request or refuse treatment and be informed of the medical consequences of this action. Requests for treatment that are medically necessary, appropriate, and available at BHSH shall be honored.
• Be involved in developing your plan of care, including treatment plan, pain management, and discharge planning.
• Receive quality treatment and care in a safe settingBe treated with dignity and respect, without discrimination, and receive prompt and courteous treatment.
• Practice your own cultural and spiritual beliefs that do not interfere with the wellbeing of others.
• Have your privacy respected, with communications and records confidential.
• Know the name and role of any person providing services to you.
• Receive information needed in order to make informed decisions regarding your care in terms you can understand. This includes information about your medical status, diagnosis, recommended treatment, and expected outcome.
• Be informed about the outcomes of your care, including unanticipated outcomes.
• Receive information and have a choice in treatment, referral or transfer to a different facility if you choose or when recommended by your physician.
• Receive information regarding your needs for continuing care after discharge.
• Have access to your medical record and receive information regarding charges and available payment methods.
• Have pain needs recognized and addressed promptly.

• Formulate Advance Directives concerning treatment or designating a representative and have practitioners and staff provide care that is consistent with these directives to the extent permitted by law.

• Have freedom from seclusion and restraints unless clinically necessary.

• Contact a nurse manager or administrator if you have a grievance or complaint concerning the quality of your care.

• Have a family member or representative and your physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.

• Receive the visitors you designate, including but not limited to a spouse, domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend.

• Withdraw or deny consent for visitation at any time.

• Designate another person to be your representative in making your healthcare decisions. This person shall have the same rights as described for you in this brochure.

Your Responsibilities

As a patient, you and your family/designated representative/support person(s) have the responsibility to:

     • Respect the privacy of confidentiality of other patients.

     • Respect the rights of other patients and staff.

     • Follow all Black Hills Surgical Hospital rules and regulations pertaining to safety,    

       smoking, noise, general conduct, and procedures.

          1. No Smoking

          2. No possession of firearms or other weapons on the premises

          3. Maintaining acceptable noise levels and appropriate general conduct for a      

             hospital environment

     • Inform staff of all past illnesses, previous hospitalizations, and current medications.

     • If you have Advanced Directives, medical power of attorney or similar document,

       provide a copy to Black Hills Surgical Hospital.

     • Notify staff when you are in pain and assist with your pain management.

     • Follow the treatment plan established by you, your physician, and health care 

       providers.

     • Inform your physicians and other caregivers if you anticipate problems or do not

       have the resources necessary to follow prescribed treatment.

     • Be responsible for your own actions if treatment is not followed and recognize the

       impact of your lifestyle choices on your personal health.

     • Request additional information or clarification about your health status or treatment

       when you do not fully understand information and instructions.

     • Provide information concerning your ability to pay for services rendered.

     • Work with staff to provide for resources to assist with your care after discharge.

     • Inform staff of any complaints or grievances.

Visitation Rights

BHSH supports patient’s rights to have their support person(s) present and as such has few limitations on visitation.

BHSH does not allow visitors:

    • Who engage in disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior of any kind.

    • In the operating room due to infection control risks for all patients.

    • In the post anesthesia care unit due to privacy concerns and potential interference

      with care for all patients in this area.

There may be other instances when staff members ask visitors to leave your room in order to provide care or to allow you to rest, but all efforts will be made to allow the visitors to return as soon as possible and to keep these situations to a minimum. Registered Nurses and physicians may exercise their best clinical judgment in deciding if visitation should be restricted. Best clinical judgment takes into account all aspects of your health and safety, including the benefits of visitation on your care as well as potential negative impacts that visitors may have on other patients in the hospital.

For your safety, it may be necessary to limit the number of visitors due to space constraints in the area that you are being cared for.

Generally, only one visitor may stay overnight in the patient suite due to space constraints and in consideration for other patients. Children under the age of 14 may not stay overnight unless accompanied by an adult other than the patient.

Patient Grievance Process

During your stay, if you have comments, questions, or concerns that have not been
addressed by your care provider, or if you think you are being prematurely discharged, please ask to speak with a manager. Your caregiver will contact a manager for you, if requested.

To file a written comment, question, or concern with our facility, you may write to:

Black Hills Surgical Hospital
Attn: Chief Executive Officer
216 Anamaria Drive
Rapid City, SD 57701

At any time, a patient or his/her representative may contact the South Dakota Department of Health at:

South Dakota Department of Health
Licensure and Certifications
615 East 4th Street
Pierre, SD 57501
or call (605) 773-3356

Comments, questions, and concerns to this facility will be addressed within seven business days.