Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Patient Rights

The basic rights of human beings for independence of expression, decision, action, and concern for personal dignity are always important. It is a prime responsibility for health systems to assure their patient rights are preserved.

A summation of these rights is below:

1. As a patient, you have the right to access to care.
2. As a patient, you have the right to care that is considerate and respectful of his or her personal values and beliefs.
3. As a patient, you have the right to privacy and confidentiality.
4. As a patient, you have the right to refusal of treatment.
5. As a patient, you have the right to a representative decision maker.
6. As a patient, you have the right to transfer and continuity of care.
7. As a patient, you have the right to explanation of hospital charges.
8. As a patient, you have the right to know about hospital rules and regulations.
9. As a patient, you have the right to information about the complaint procedure and conflict resolution.
10. As a patient, you have the right to information about ethical issues.
11. As a patient, you have the right to personal safety, security, and protective services.
12. As a patient, you have the right to identity of those providing services to you.
13. As a patient, or family member when appropriate, you have the right to be informed about and participate in decisions regarding all aspects of the patient’s care.
14. As a patient, you have the right to communication.
15. As a patient, you have the right to informed consent.
16. As a patient, you have the right to consultation.
17. As a patient, you have the right to advance directives.
18. As a patient, you have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
19. As a patient, you have the right to freedom from restraints used for the management of behavior unless clinically required.
20. As a patient, you have the right to freedom from restraints used in the provision of acute medical and surgical care unless clinically required.
21. As a patient or family member, when appropriate, you have the right to be informed about the outcomes of care including un-anticipated outcomes.
22. As a patient, you have the right to pastoral care and other spiritual services.
23. As a patient, you have the right to be informed about and participate in investigational studies or clinical trials.

Patient Responsibilities

1. As a patient, you have the responsibility to provide, to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalization, medications, and other matters relating to your health. You have the responsibility to report unexpected changes in your condition to the responsible physician. You are responsible for making it known whether you clearly understand a contemplated course of action and what is expected of you.
2. You are responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by the physician primarily responsible for your care. This may include following the instructions of nurses and allied health personnel coordinating and implementing your physician’s orders.
3. You are responsible for keeping appointments and, when you are unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the responsible physician or the hospital.
4. You are responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow the physician’s instructions.
5. You are responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of your health care are paid as promptly as possible.
6. You are responsible for following hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
7. You are responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel, and for assisting in the control of noise, smoking, and the number of visitors. You are responsible for being respectful of the property of other persons and of the hospital.