Patient Rights

Patient Code of Conduct

Everyone should expect a safe, caring, and inclusive environment in all our spaces. Our Patient Code of Conduct helps us to meet this goal. Words or actions that are disrespectful, racist, discriminatory, hostile, or harassing are not welcome.

Read the full Patient Code of Conduct

Salem Hospital emphasizes the importance of respecting patients’ rights to all members of our staff.

Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

EXCERPT: We, your health care team, promise to preserve your individual rights listed here and ask for your cooperation. We also ask you and your visitors to understand your responsibilities as a patient of Salem Hospital, a member of Mass General Brigham, and to be considerate of the rights of others.

As a patient at Salem Hospital, you have these rights:

To be involved in all aspects of your care and treatment.
To equitable, considerate, respectful care that includes consideration of your psycho-social, spiritual, cultural and personal values and beliefs.
To know the identity and specialty of individuals involved in your care. To refuse to be observed, examined, or treated by students or by any other staff without jeopardizing your access to medical care.
For patients suffering from any type of breast cancer, to receive information on all alternative treatments which are medically viable.
To receive prompt, life-saving treatment without delay and to receive the most appropriate medical treatment and care available without regard to your economic status or the source of payment.
To make decisions about the plan of care prior to and during the course of treatment and to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and Salem Hopsital policy, and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action. This includes limitation of life sustaining treatment, for example withholding or withdrawing life sustaining measures.
To include or exclude any or all family members from participating in your health care decisions. To consult with specialists (in addition to any already involved in your plan of care) at your own request and expense.
To expect a reasonable response to requests for appropriate and medically indicated care and services, within the capacity of Salem Hospital.
To expect that your pain and symptoms will be assessed and treated with the goal of minimizing your experience of pain and discomfort, to the extent clinically possible.
For dying patients, to care which optimizes dignity through the treatment of symptoms (as desired by you or your Health Care Proxy), the management of pain, and the acknowledgement of psychosocial and spiritual concerns of you and your family.
To expect reasonable continuity of care, and to be informed by physicians and other caregivers of available and realistic patient care options when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
To participate or have your designated representative participate in the consideration of ethical issues which arise in your care.
To exercise cultural and spiritual beliefs that do not interfere with the well being of others.
To receive medically and factually accurate information prepared by the Commissioner of Public Health about emergency contraception if you are a female rape victim and of 3 childbearing age, to be promptly offered emergency

Patient and Family Relations

Salem Hospital
81 Highland Avenue
Salem MA 01970
978.354.2025

Outside Agencies

Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Division of Healthcare Quality
99 Chauncy Street, 2nd floor
Boston, MA 02111
800-462-5540

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine
200 Harvard Mill Square, Ste. 330
Wakefield, MA 01880
800-377-0550

The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
800-994-6610 or email

Customer Service: 630-792-5800 or customerservice@jointcommission.org