Altru Health System is dedicated to providing quality services for its
patients. We want you to have the best possible care as prescribed or
recommended by those who are treating you. We want you to know your rights
as a patient as well as what your obligations are to yourself, your physician,
and the hospital. We encourage you to talk openly with those involved
with your care.
Expanded Care Options with Altru Health System’s Palliative Care Program
An important part of dealing with any serious illness is to ensure that
patients are made as comfortable as possible so they can focus on their
recovery and overall well-being. Palliative care, also known as comfort
or supportive care, is an area of healthcare that provides vigorous treatment
for pain and other symptoms, as well as the emotional distress patients
may feel when they are seriously ill. Patients can receive palliative
care before, during and after treatments for your disease(s) or illness.
The goal of palliative care is to give the patient the best possible quality
of life by aggressively fighting symptoms while other care is fighting
the disease or illness. When diseases cannot be cured, palliative care
efforts are enhanced to increase the patient's physical, emotional, psychological,
social, and emotional comfort.
Palliative care treats a broad range of conditions, including pain, nausea,
fatigue, breathlessness, constipation, depression, and anxiety. The palliative
care program works with physicians to help build a treatment plan with
the patient and family wishes in mind. The palliative care program can
help coordinate the multiple sources of treatment and care that patients
with advanced illness need. This coordination includes communicating with
different physicians, explaining treatment choices and options, and finding
resources for counseling, spiritual support and daily living needs inside
and outside the hospital. Comfort care always includes adequate pain control.
Altru Health System has a palliative care program to provide this care
to our patients and families. Physicians can provide a referral to the
service so that patients can benefit from this care. Ask your physician
or healthcare provider about palliative care.
Click here to learn more about the Meaning of Code Status/POLST.
Altru Health System’s Ethics Advisory Committee
There are times when making a decision for yourself or a family member
about whether or not to undergo treatment presents some difficulties or
conflicts. A source of assistance that is available to you or your family
is the Altru Health System Ethics Advisory Committee. The purpose of the
Ethics Advisory Committee is to provide a mechanism to ensure that communication
about ethical issues and decisions occurs among health care providers,
patients, and families. The Ethics Advisory Committee does not make decisions
itself; rather, it serves in an advisory capacity to the decision maker,
whether that be the physician, patient, family, or legal decision maker.
Any patient, family member, physician, or staff member may request a review
by the Ethics Advisory Committee of situations which involve ethical issues.
To refer an issue to the Altru Health System Ethics Advisory Committee,
you may call the Spiritual Care office
701.780.5300 or social Work/Case management office
701.780.5345 during the day between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.
In the evening or on weekends, you may request a referral to the Ethics
Advisory Committee by contacting the hospital supervisor. Call the hospital
operator (dial 0 if you are in the hospital; dial
701.780.5000 if you are out of the hospital) and ask for the hospital supervisor.
Code of Ethics
Altru Health System recognizes its responsibility to its patients, staff,
physicians and the community it serves to conduct patient care and all
other operations in an ethical manner based on its values, mission, vision,
and strategic plan. Values serve as the guiding principles for ethical
behavior in all activities and are supported by policies, procedures,
practices, and quality service. A Code of Ethics is the mechanism by which
values are brought to life. The six value statements of Altru Health System
serve as the focal points for the organization’s Code of Ethics.
Respect and Caring for Individuals
All patients, families, significant others, employees, and medical staff
will be treated with dignity, respect and courtesy.
Patients and families will receive appropriate information about therapeutic
alternatives and risks associated with their care and will be active participants
in their care.
Patients, families, and employees will have their ethnic, cultural, religious,
and lifestyle diversity honored.
The confidentiality and privacy of patients, families and employees will
be respected and protected.
Employees will be provided with fair and equitable compensation and support.
Professional and ethical codes of employees and medical staff will be respected
and supported.
Honesty and Dependability
Potential conflicts of interest in patient care, business practices and
contractual relationships will be brought to the attention and addressed
by leadership and/or the governing board.
Patients and/or third party payors will be billed only for services actually
provided and will be assisted in understanding the cost related to their care.
All public advertising and information disseminated will be truthful and accurate.
The commitments made with patients, families and one another will be met.
Commitment to Serve
Patients will be admitted to, transferred and discharged from the hospital
on the basis of their medical needs and the ability of the hospital to
meet those needs.
Patients/families will be informed of the need for admission, transfer,
or discharge and given appropriate options so that they can be part of
the decision making process.
Conflicts and complaints will be addressed in a timely manner and all efforts
to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution will be made. Resources available
to assist patient/families are: employees, Area and Executive Leaders,
Risk Manager, and the Ethics Committee.
Continuous Quality Improvement
Care provided will be of the same level regardless of the location within
Altru Health System or the patient’s ability to pay.
Care will be based upon quality standards with consideration of the patient/family needs.
Care will be provided in the most cost effective manner that continues
to meet the requirements of patients, families, physicians, and staff.
Resolution of problems, issues, and concerns of patients and their families
will be addressed.
Teamwork Based on a Common Purpose, Performance Goals, and Mutual Accountability
Employees and medical staff will be encouraged and supported in efforts
to collaborate, problem-solve, and innovate.
Employees and medical staff will be kept informed of changes in the health
care environment and will be encouraged and supported in responding to
the changes.
Stewardship of the Community's Healthcare Resources
Patient care and organizational processes will be designed using quality
improvement methods so that patient’s needs and requirements will
be met in a manner that preserves resources of the community and the organization.
Competitive costs and prices to ensure access to services needed by the
community will be maintained.
Healthcare Directive (Advance Directive): North Dakota & Minnesota
A Healthcare Directive is a written document that includes one or more
health care instructions, a health care power of attorney, or both.
The Healthcare Directive permits you to make your healthcare wishes known
and gives your health care agent the power and guidance to make healthcare
decisions according to your wishes when you are unable to make or communicate
your decisions. The document may include the type of treatment you want
or do not want and under what circumstances you want these decisions to
be made. You may state where you want or do not want to receive treatment.
In this document, you may name an agent who would make healthcare decisions
for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. The agent has a duty
to act consistently with your known wishes. If the agent does not know
your wishes, the agent has the duty to act in your best interests. If
you do not name an agent, your healthcare providers have a duty to act
consistently with your instructions or tell you that they are unwilling to do so.
A Healthcare Directive becomes effective when it meets the requirements
of the law and when you are unable to decide or make known healthcare
decisions. You cannot be required to sign a Healthcare Directive. Your
decision to complete a Healthcare Directive is personal and should be
based upon your individual values and beliefs.
To Complete a Healthcare Directive:
Use the appropriate form. The law includes a recommended form. Forms are
available at Altru Health System from Spiritual Care staff (Chaplain) at
701.780.5300 or write Altru Health System Spiritual Care, 1200 South Columbia Road,
Grand Forks, ND 58201, the Hospital Supervisor
701.780.5250, or from Altru Home Services staff
701.780.5880. If you have questions regarding filling out forms contact Social Workers
or Case Managers at
701.780.5345 or Spiritual Care at
701.780.5300.
Carefully select the person you want to act as your agent and/or alternate
agent. Discuss the role of your agent and/or alternate agent with the
persons you select.
Tell your agent what kinds of health care decisions you want your agent
to make on your behalf.
When you are completing a Healthcare Directive, if you have questions or
special circumstances to consider, it might be advisable to consult an
attorney who is knowledgeable about advance directives.
Make certain you sign your Healthcare Directive and have it properly witnessed
or notarized. There are specific limitations under the law on who is qualified
to be a witness.
Give a copy of your Healthcare Directive to your physician and any other
health care providers such as your nursing facility, hospice or home health
agency. Altru Hospital accepts an ORIGINAL form or a copy and will keep
it on file in the Medical Records Department. A copy will be kept on your
chart while you are a patient. Ask your other healthcare providers if
they need an original or if a copy will be sufficient.
In addition, you may want to give originals or copies of your Healthcare
Directive to other persons such as close family members and your attorney,
if you have one.
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