Va puget sound health care | veterans affairs

VA GENERAL VISITATION POLICY The medical center respects the patient's right to make decisions about his or her care, treatment and services, and to involve the patient's family in

care, treatment, and services decisions to the extent permitted by the patient or surrogate decision-maker.  "Family" is defined as a group of two or more persons united by blood,

or adoptive, marital, domestic partnership, or other legal ties. The family may also be a person or persons not legally related to the individual (such as significant other, friend or

caregiver) whom the individual considers to be family. A family member may be the surrogate decision-maker, as defined in VHA Handbook 1004.02, if authorized to make care decisions for the

individual, should he or she lose decision-making capacity or choose to delegate decision making to another.  The medical center allows a family member, friend or other individual to be

present with the patient for emotional support during the course of their stay. The medical center allows for the presence of a support individual of the patient's choice, unless the

individual's presence infringes on others’ rights or safety, or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient's surrogate

decision-maker or legally authorized representative.  The hospital prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability,

socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.