Patient Rights and Responsibilities
The patient and/or responsible party have the right to expect the following:
- Equal access to health care and medically appropriate treatment.
- Considerate and respectful care, and to have their personal, cultural and spiritual values and beliefs considered when treatment choices are made.
- Freedom from all forms of abuse or harassment.
- A primary provider who becomes primarily responsible for care management.
- The right to request a change of a provider or a second opinion.
- The right to know the names, titles and roles of all health care providers involved in their care.
- The right to know that Brody School of Medicine is a center for health care learners and to know whether any learners will be part of their care, as well as the right to refuse any learner’s participation.
- Access to interpreter services when they are unable to speak or understand English or are hearing impaired.
- Participation in health care decision-making before and during health care by receiving information about their diagnosis, conditions, recommended treatments with benefits and risks as well as alternatives explained in terms that the patient understands.
- The right to refuse recommended treatments to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the possible consequences of the refusal.
- The right to know if the treatment involves experimental or research methods and the right to refuse to participate.
- Advanced health care decisions through advanced directives, living will, or durable power of attorney for health care will be implemented.
- Privacy during all health care encounters will be provided to the every extent possible.
- Confidentiality of health care information as protected by federal and state laws and internal policy. Health care information will be released only upon written authority of the patient or responsible party or in accordance with federal and state laws.
- Requests for information will be provided to the extent allowed by federal and state laws and internal policies.
The patient and/or responsible party will be expected, to the best of their ability, to share in the responsibilities for their healthcare and, to such end, will be expected to do the following:
- Provide information about their health including past illnesses, emergency room visits and hospital stays, medication usage, and concerns related to their present health.
- Take part in the medical decision-making to include the decision to refuse care and assume personal responsibility for refusing care or treatment.
- Inform health care providers if they anticipate problems in following health care instructions.
- Ask questions when they do not understand health care (medical or financial) information or instructions.
- Plan for non-emergency care by making, keeping and arriving on time to health care appointments.
- Notify ECU Physicians as soon as possible that a health care appointment needs to be canceled.
- Provide timely financial information including insurance and/or other methods of payments; pay bills timely and/or timely ask questions about the billing and/or payment methods.
- Be respectful of others, others’ property and ECU Physicians.
