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Overlake believes you have both the right and the responsibility to be an active participant in your healthcare. There are often difficult decisions that need to be made when dealing with your health. Overlake provides these resources in hopes that some of your decisions will be clearer and easily understood. If you are unclear about any decisions placed before you, ask your nurse or physician for further clarification and she or he will be able to assist you.
See our flyer on patients rights, the Americans with Disabilities Act, our translation assistance and anti-discrimination compliance.
You have the right to make important decisions about your own healthcare. Federal law requires all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities to ensure that patients know they have the right to receive or refuse care, and to express these wishes in documents that are kept by the hospital. Overlake supports your right to be well informed and to make decisions about your care.
If you would like to know more, ask us for the free booklet "Starting Points." This booklet has information on living wills, durable powers of attorney, values statements and other resources for making your own healthcare decisions.
Patients and families are often faced with difficult decisions during hospitalizations. If you have concerns regarding whether to start, stop or continue specific treatment, disagreement or misunderstandings among family members regarding decisions about a patient’s care or difficulty communicating with a patients’ caregiver, a team of specially trained individuals is available. You can request a consultation by asking your doctor, nurse, social worker or chaplain, or by calling 425.688.5235.
State and federal law requires Overlake to ask families for consent for organ and tissue donation. We know it is important to allow the opportunity to those who wish to donate organs or tissue. Overlake staff is sensitive to the feelings of a grieving family. Organ and tissue donation is always voluntary and confidential.
If you want more information on organ or tissue donation, ask a staff member for the booklet, "Organ and Tissue Donation."
After careful, thoughtful discussion with our medical staff and Board of Trustees, Overlake Medical Center has decided not to participate under the Washington State Death with Dignity Act in the in-patient areas of the hospital. We will, in certain out-patient provider based departments and specialty physician clinics, allow participation by those physicians. This means, with the exception of Overlake Senior Care Clinic, Overlake Oncology Clinic, Overlake Pulmonary Clinic and Overlake Cardiology Clinic, that during the course of their employment or service, Overlake employed or contracted physicians, employees, independent contractors and volunteers shall not assist a patient in ending the patient’s life in or on the premises of the hospital or in hospital-owned or operated facilities.
Overlake will continue to provide compassionate, high-quality care to all our patients. Any patient wishing to receive life-ending medication while a patient at this hospital will be assisted in transfer to another facility of the patient’s choice. The transfer will assure continuity of care.
Patients are granted the right to review their medical records by the Washington State Uniform Healthcare Information Act. You may request copies of all or any part of your medical record after you go home. Since your medical record is a legal document, it cannot be removed, deleted or altered. You can, however, request that your record be corrected or amended. For further information, please call the Release of Information Desk at 425.688.5643.
At Overlake, we want you to get your health information in a way that you understand. We will arrange for an interpreter or other aids to you, your family member or companion who is deaf, hard of hearing or has speech disabilities. These services are free to you.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people who are deaf, are hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities have the right to ask for aids and services.
If you need such aids or services, call the Interpreter Services office at 425.688.5304. If you are told that you do not qualify for the service, you can ask for a review. To request a review:
For more information about the ADA:
In our continuous effort to fulfill our mission: Compassionate care for every life we touch, we need to hear from patients and families about how we are doing. We want you to tell us what we are doing well and your areas of concern.
If you or your family has feedback for us, please tell your nurse. If you are uncomfortable telling your nurse, or you feel that your issue has not been resolved, ask to speak to the Charge Nurse or Manager or call the Patient Advocate line at any time at 425.688.5191 or via email. You may also reach out with compliments or complaints via our website's contact us form.
We appreciate your comments. All concerns are taken seriously. We will review your comments and take steps to resolve the issue.
You also have the right to contact:
When you receive services from Overlake Medical Center, you have the RIGHT:
When you receive services from Overlake Medical Center, you have the RESPONSIBILITY:
