Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Overview of Patient Rights

To the extent permitted by law, hospital policy or medical concerns, the patient has the right to:

• Reasonable access to care
• Considerate, respectful and competent care, without discrimination, in a safe and secure environment
• Information about the assessment and effective management of pain
• Information concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis
• Information about the outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes
• Be informed, in understandable language, and to give consent
• Designate a decision maker should a patient be unable to understand or communicate his/her wishes regarding care
• Know the identity of physicians, nurses and others involved in his/her care
• Refuse care
• Make informed medical choices
• Have an advance medical directive
• Have unique personal needs met, to the degree possible, at the end of life
• Donate organs
• Privacy and confidentiality for his/her medical information except in cases when reporting is permitted or required by law
• Review and request an amendment to the medical record
• Receive emergency care
• Be informed of any significant changes
• Be informed of any business relationships among the hospital, educational institutions, other healthcare providers or payers
• Consent to decline to participate in medical research or experiments
• Continuity of care
• Choose who to communicate with and to communicate privately
• Sensitivity to cultural and spiritual beliefs
• Participate in activities
• Use personal clothing and possessions as long as it does not interfere with his/her care
• Be informed of resources available to resolve disputes and grievances
• Be informed of the hospital's charges for services and available payment methods
• Access to protective services

Overview of Patient's Responsibilities

The collaborative nature of healthcare requires that patients or their families/surrogates participate in their care. The effectiveness of care and patient satisfaction with the course of treatment depends, in part, on the patient fulfilling certain responsibilities. The patient has a responsibility to:

• Provide accurate and complete information
• Report any unexpected changes
• Inform the nurse and/or doctor of any pain
• Ask questions when information is not understood
• Follow instructions regarding the care, service or treatment plan developed
• Follow the rules and regulations of the hospital
• Show respect and consideration of the hospital's personnel and property
• Promptly meet financial obligations agreed to with the hospital
• Make healthy lifestyle decisions
• Remain under the care of a physician