Patient Rights & Responsibilities

As a Patient of Mount Desert Island Hospital, you are responsible for:

  • Providing accurate and complete information about your current and past medical problems
  • Informing your nurse or doctor of any changes in your condition
  • Notifying your doctor if you do not clearly understand instructions and plans for your care
  • Following the treatment plan recommended by your doctor, which may include instructions from other health personnel
  • Accepting the consequences of your own actions if you refuse treatment or choose not to follow the instructions of your physician
  • Assuring the financial obligation of your health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible
  • Following Hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct
  • Considering the rights of other patients and hospital personnel in matters of noise, visitors and property of others
  • Reporting complaints or suggestions in a factual and timely manner to Hospital administration or representatives, either in person or by letter. While an inpatient, you or your representative may initiate a complaint by requesting to speak to the Charge Nurse or Nursing Supervisor
  • Once discharged, complaints may be initiated by phoning, e-mailing, or writing to:

Quality Management Office
MDI Hospital
PO Box 8
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207 288-5081, Ext. 361

As a Patient of Mount Desert Island Hospital, you have the right to:

  • Be treated without regard to race, creed, sex, national origin, sexual preference, marital status, or source for payment of care
  • Receive considerate, respectful and competent care
  • Have your pain appropriately assessed and managed
  • Expect privacy and discretion regarding medical discussion, consultation, examination, treatment, and documentation
  • Have all personal and medical information handled in a confidential manner – Confidential information about you will only be shared with those directly involved in your care, or in monitoring its quality, including your medical record
  • Be informed concerning your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis by your treating physician – In an unusual circumstance that it is not medically advisable to give such information to you, the information should be made available to an appropriate person
  • Speak to, or write to persons outside the hospital
  • Have access to an interpreter if needed
  • Voice your complaints regarding any aspect of your care, with the knowledge that the hospital will do its best to respond
  • Receive from your physician the information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and /or treatment. This information should describe the procedures and medical risks involved. In the unusual circumstance that it is not advisable to give such information to you, the information should be made available to a person legally responsible for you
  • Know the name of the physician coordinating your care, a well as the names and duties of all other personnel participating directly in your care
  • Consult, at your own expense, with a specialist
  • Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of this refusal
  • Transfer to another facility only after you have received a complete explanation of the need for the transfer and of the alternative, and once the transfer is acceptable to the other facility
  • Be given instructions for follow-up care by your physician and/or nurse before you go home
  • Receive an explanation of your bill regardless of the sources of payment, and to receive timely notice prior to termination of your eligibility for reimbursement by any third party payor
  • File a complaint with, or report an incident to the State of Maine about patient care, abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of patient’s property, in the Hospital – Complaints may be filed with the State regardless of whether or not you have complained the to Hospital itself
  • To report such a concern, contact:

Department of Health and Human Services
Operations & Support
Division of Licensing and Certification
Medical Facilities
442 Civic Center Drive, # 11SHS
Augusta, ME, 04333-0011
207 287-9300
Toll-Free 800 383-2441

MDI Hospital

MDI Hospital
17 Hancock Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207 288-5081

At Mount Desert Island Hospital, we provide comprehensive care for you and your family through our hospital in Bar Harbor and a network of health centers across Mount Desert Island.