Patient Rights and Responsibilities

As a patient you have certain rights and responsibilities. Hospitals, nursing facilities and healthcare providers must treat all patients and their family and friends with honesty, dignity, and respect. In return, healthcare providers and facilities expect similar respect, honesty, and dignity. Various organizations and professional societies have published summaries of these principles. Here is a general review of patient rights and responsibilities:

As a patient, you have the right to:

• Know who is caring for you.
• Have a say in choosing your healthcare providers.
• Get a timely response to requests for service.
• Be informed about your illness, treatment, and likely outcomes before you start treatment or have a procedure.
• Get information about specific procedures or treatments. This includes how long it will take to recover, alternatives, and risks and benefits.
• Have your privacy protected. This includes medical records and discussions about your health problems.
• Expect information about your health, social, and financial status to be kept confidential. (Sometimes there are exceptions when state law requires suspected abuse and public health hazards to be reported.)
• Know the cost of treatment choices. This includes how much insurance will pay and how much you will have to pay.
• Participate in plans for care. You should be told of any changes in a plan before they are made.
• Refuse care. (You should be told what may happen if you refuse care.)
• Have an advance directive for treatment. An example is a living will. Healthcare providers must follow advance directives according to state laws.
• Appoint someone as your decision maker. You can do this in a document called a durable power of attorney for healthcare.
• Be told ahead of time of plans for transfer to another facility.
• Be informed of relationships among healthcare providers, educational institutions, and insurance payers that may affect your treatment and care.
• Bring up problems and suggest changes in service or staff without fear of restraint or reprisal.
• Agree or refuse to be part of research studies. Studies must be fully explained to you before you make your decision.
• Be told what to do in the case of an emergency.

If you are not able to make decisions or are legally incompetent, your family or guardian may exercise your rights.

As a patient you and your family have the responsibility to:

• Provide complete information about your health, including:
  • past illnesses
  • medicines you take (including supplements)
  • your healthcare concerns, and lifestyle
• Participate in making a plan for your healthcare. For example:
  • Ask questions if you do not understand information or instructions.
  • Provide a copy of your written advance directive if you have one.
  • Tell healthcare providers and other caregivers if you think you will have problems after your treatment.
  • Keep all treatment appointments.
  • Know how your lifestyle affects your health.
• Understand that healthcare providers must also take care of other patients. Respect the rights of other patients.
• Provide accurate and up-to-date information for insurance claims.
• Work with healthcare providers to make payment arrangements.

Most healthcare organizations have their own version of a Patient Rights and Responsibilities document. Several examples can be found on the internet (see links). Ask your healthcare provider or hospital for a copy of their organization’s document, or check their Web site.