Patient Rights & Responsibilities

As a patient you have the right to:

1. Receive considerate and respectful care.
2. Expect reasonable access to and continuity of care.
3. Know the identity of physicians, nurses and others involved in your care.
4. Receive information as to any relationship of the center to any healthcare and educational institutions involved in your care.
5. Obtain information as to the existence of any professional relationships among individuals who are treating you.
6. Know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental research, and to give consent or refuse to participate in experimental research.
7. Be given information concerning diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis in terms you can be reasonably expected to understand.
8. Receive information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and/or treatment.
9. Receive a complete explanation of the need for a transfer - or the alternatives - to another facility or organization before being transferred.
10. Be informed by your healthcare provider of continuing healthcare requirements after your discharge from the center.
11. Receive a copy of a reasonably clear and understandable bill and, upon request, have the charges explained.
12. Know the immediate and long-term financial implications of treatment choices, insofar as they are known.
13. Know what center rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient.
14. Expect reasonable safety and security in the center's practices and environment.
15. Have the right to be given, upon request, full information and necessary counseling on the availability of financial resources for your care.
16. Impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations regardless of race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, physical handicap, or source of payment.
17. Be informed about your right to, and the procedures for reporting abusive, neglectful or exploitative practices.
18. Expect that care is not dependent on the presence or absence of an advance directive.
19. Be informed of your rights as a patient; or when appropriate under state law for your representative to be informed of these rights, in advance of care being provided or discontinued whenever possible.
20. Be informed about the center’s compliant processes and who you can contact to file a complaint. To also know that you can express a complaint regarding your care or any violation of your rights and that your doing so will not adversely affect the quality of care provided.
21. Receive every consideration of personal privacy.
22. Make informed decisions regarding your medical care and to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care.
23. Be involved in care planning and treatment and be able to request or refuse any treatment, except as otherwise provided by law.
24. Formulate healthcare advance directives and to have the healthcare system’s staff and practitioners who provide your care comply with these directives in accordance with state/federal laws and regulations.
25. Be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
26. Have confidentiality regarding your treatment and with respect to your medical records.
27. Access information contained in your medical records within a reasonable time frame, in accordance with state/federal laws and regulations.
28. Retain and use personal clothing and possessions, unless contraindicated for medical, safety, space or programmatic reasons.
29. Patients eligible for Medicare have the right to know upon request and in advance of treatment, whether a healthcare provider or facility accepts the Medicare assignment rate.

As a patient you have a responsibility to:

1. Provide accurate and complete information about past illnesses, hospitalizations and other matters related to your health status.
2. Report any unexpected changes in your condition to your healthcare provider.
3. Follow the center's rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
4. Inform your healthcare provider of your advance directives.
5. Follow the treatment plan recommended by the healthcare provider.
6. Notify the physician or nurse if you do not understand your planned course of care and what is expected of you.
7. Inform your nurse and your family if you want your visitors restricted.
8. Accept and ensure that the financial obligations associated with your care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns
about patient rights you may call 513-8500.