Patient Relations

Our Patient Relations staff is here to help you with any problems or special needs you may have. Patient representatives can provide pathways for you to pursue explanations, seek assistance, or address grievances. They offer you a place to turn if you have a need or concern and are not sure who can help. They also:

• Serve as advocates for you and your family.
• Interpret your rights and responsibilities as a patient.
• Listen to and follow up on your concerns about UNC Health Southeastern by investigating the issues and providing a prompt response.
• Provide a link between you and UNC Health Southeastern by communicating requests to the appropriate departments on you behalf.
• Recommend changes in procedures and policies to improve services for you and your family or visitors.
• Arrange for special services or direct you to resources within UNC Health Southeastern, its affiliates, and the community.
• Arrange for assistance if you are disabled, hearing impaired, or need a foreign-language interpreter.
• Arrange for notary services to assist with advance directives.
• Act as friends and guides in a complex institution.

Our goal is to provide the best patient care. If at any time you have questions or concerns about the quality of care that you or a family member is receiving or has received at our hospital, do not hesitate to speak with your nurse or the nursing supervisor. If you feel that your issue wasn’t resolved, please contact the patient representative at 910-671-5592 or in-hospital at ext. 5592, or by dialing the hospital operator and asking for the patient representative or by asking a staff member to contact the patient representative for you. After hours and on weekends, please ask for the patient flow manager. We will strive to resolve the issue the same day it was received. If the issue cannot be resolved in a timely manner, our Patient Experience Department will respond to you in writing within seven days.

Advance Directives

If you are 18 years or older and mentally competent, you have the right to make decisions about your medical treatment.

If, for any reason, you become unable to make these decisions, your wishes can still be followed through an Advance Directive – also known as a Living Will, Health Care Power of Attorney, or Advance Instruction for Mental Health. For more information, contact the Patient Relations representative.

Ethics Committee

UNC Health Southeastern has established a Medical and Organizational Ethics Committee made up of physicians, nurses, social workers, pastors, patient representatives, and community members. This committee can guide you and your family if you believe you have an ethical concern, one which may give rise to conflict among patient/family/physician/other health care workers related to such issues as brain death, withholding or withdrawing treatment, refusing treatment, or requesting futile treatment.

To contact the Medical and Organizational Ethics Committee, ask your nurse or other staff member to assist you with completing an Ethics Consultation Request Form. You will be contacted by a member of the Committee regarding your request, and the Committee’s recommendation will be made available to you.

Concerns/Complaints

You have the right to file a complaint or concern with one or more of the following:

N.C. Division of Health Service Regulation
Complaint and Intake Unit
2711 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699
919-855-4500 or 1-800-624-3004
www.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/ciu/filecomplaint.html

DNV GL – Healthcare
ATTN: Hospital Complaint
400 Techne Center Dr., Suite 100
Milford, OH 45150
866-496-9647
Fax: 513-947-1250
hospitalcomplaint@dnvgl.com
https://www.dnvhealthcareportal.com/patient-complaint-report

Medicare
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
TTY: 1-877-486-2048

Patient Experience
P.O. Box 1408, 300 W. 27th St.
Lumberton, NC 28359
910-671-5592, or in-hospital ext. 5592

Compliance Hotline
1-800-362-2921