Sometimes your medical condition requires treatment through some form of hospitalization. Upon admission of a patient to the hospital, the hospital must provide you and your family with an explanation of your rights and responsibilities as an admitted patient and/or a patient under treatment. Hospitals try to provide written information (instructions). This manual will explain hospital laws and regulations, opportunities to keep in touch with family, visits, storage of personal items, use of personal items or clothing, and food brought from home. If the hospital does not have such instructions, you can get all the information from the medical staff.
You have the right to receive information about the disease, about your problem, about the diagnosis, about the necessary treatment and alternative treatment options, about the conditions in which treatment is offered and about the risks associated with it. As well as information about the expected recovery process, the length of stay in the hospital or the duration of recommended treatment within various frameworks, including sick leave. All information is provided in accordance with the professional recommendations of the attending physician. You will also receive information regarding financial issues related to treatment.
Any treatment requires your consent, with the exception of compulsory treatment. The hospital must tell you your rights and responsibilities:
• Your admission to a hospital is conditional on your consent unless you are involuntarily admitted by law, court order, or county psychiatrist's order for admission.
• During voluntary hospitalization, treatment, except in cases where emergency measures are necessary, will take place only with your consent. If special treatment is needed, you will be asked to give your consent separately. If you refuse to undergo treatment recommended by medical staff or to cooperate with a treatment program, you may be discharged from the hospital or, if necessary, ordered to be involuntarily admitted and treated without your consent.
• While you are admitted voluntarily, you have the right to ask for permission to be discharged in writing at any time. If you have asked to be discharged, the head of the department is obliged to discharge you as quickly as possible, and no later than 48 hours from the date of submission of the request, unless there are grounds to continue hospitalization forcibly.
• If you have been hospitalized under a hospitalization order issued by your county psychiatrist, you have the right to appeal his decision to the county mental health board. Even if you have not filed an appeal, a discussion will be held in the commission if the head of the department in which you are hospitalized receives a request to extend the involuntary hospitalization. The appeal can be submitted to the medical staff or sent directly to the address of the secretariat of the psychiatric commission, or by fax indicated in the message posted in the department. You can also obtain this information from the department's medical staff. You have the right to obtain legal assistance to file an appeal and to represent your interests before the psychiatric commission. You will also find information on how to contact the legal aid service in the notice posted at the branch. This information can also be obtained from the medical staff of the department. Legal assistance is provided free of charge.
• If your hospitalization was based on a court order, a regular meeting of the District Psychiatric Commission is held every six months, at a minimum. The commission can discuss your situation at your request. You will be able to submit a request to speak before the district psychiatric commission through the medical staff of the department or send it directly to the address of the secretariat of the psychiatric commission or by fax indicated in the message posted in the department. You can also obtain this information from the department's medical staff. You have the right to receive legal assistance to draw up a request and to represent your interests before the psychiatric commission. You will also find information on how to contact Public Advocacy in the notice posted at the office. This information can also be obtained from the medical staff of the department. Legal assistance is provided free of charge.
• If you have been hospitalized by court order or by the county psychiatrist, you will be treated according to your condition, even without your consent. Special procedures specified in the decree regarding the treatment of the mentally ill will be carried out only in accordance with the above decree.
• You cannot be transferred from the hospital where you are admitted to another psychiatric hospital without your consent and without the consent of the heads of departments at both hospitals. If you object to the transfer, you cannot be transferred without the permission of the District Psychiatrist. You can appeal the county psychiatrist's decision to the county mental health board.
• If you have been involuntarily admitted to hospital, the Director of Mental Health Services at the Ministry of Health, under special circumstances and considering the needs of the hospitalization, may order your transfer to another hospital, without your consent. In special circumstances, the Director of Mental Health Services at the Department of Health may request that you be transferred to another hospital, even if you were admitted to the hospital by your own consent. But if you refuse the transfer, he has the right to order you to be discharged from the hospital.
• The main purpose of your hospitalization is to receive medical treatment and you have the right, in accordance with all laws, to receive professional treatment and decent treatment in accordance with the conditions and regulations adopted in the health care system in Israel.
• During hospitalization, you have the right to carry a reasonable number of personal belongings and wear your own personal clothing, in accordance with your condition and the rules adopted in the hospital.
• If your medical condition allows, you have the right to maintain telephone or postal communication with anyone during hospitalization, as well as receive unopened letters and receive visitors during visiting hours. If your medical condition requires you to limit these rights, you will have the right to send unopened letters to your attorney, guardian, county psychiatrist, county mental health board, and government legal counsel, or to communicate with all of the above. You also have the right to meet with a lawyer in the hospital.
• If your medical condition allows, you have the right to move freely in the public areas of the hospital. If your condition does not allow this, your doctor may limit your freedom of movement as part of your treatment program until your condition improves. Leave outside the hospital is part of the treatment program and will be allowed in accordance with the decision of the medical staff. If you have been hospitalized under a court order, the county mental health board will have to authorize your release.
• Any information that you transmit or receive concerning you is confidential; medical staff have the right to transmit information about you only with your consent. However, in some cases it may be possible to share such information with legally authorized persons without your consent.
• You have the right to receive information regarding your condition. If the attending physician believes that such information, in whole or in part, could seriously harm you physically or mentally, or pose a threat to you or others, such information will not be disclosed to you. The hospital ethics commission must approve such a decision. You have the right to speak before the commission before it makes its decision.
• Hospitalization itself does not violate your rights regarding your property. If the head of the hospital department considers that, due to your condition, you are unable to manage the affairs of your property and legal steps need to be taken to protect your property, he has the right to inform the Guardian General.
• The hospital will allow you, considering the needs and rights of all patients and the hospital's capabilities, to observe your religion, culture and traditions in an acceptable manner.
• You must respect others, medical staff, and everyone in the hospital. You must maintain the cleanliness, quiet and privacy of other patients and not cause harm to them or their property.
• The staff considers you an active partner in planning or changes to your care. The progress of treatment depends largely on your cooperation. The medical staff hopes that you will actively participate in your treatment and in the various programs designed for you.