Patient Rights

According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), all hospital patients are entitled to certain standards of care. The AHA developed a voluntary code called The Patient’s Bill of Rights. This gives guidelines for both staff and patients. It gives you these rights:

1. •To considerate and respectful care.
   

2. •To obtain from your doctor complete, current information about your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. These should be given in terms you can understand.

1. Medical Decisions

1. •To receive from your doctor information necessary to give informed consent before the start of any procedure and/or treatment.
   

2. •To expect reasonable continuity of care.
   

3. •To refuse treatment to the extent the law permits. To be informed of the medical effects of your action.
   

4. •To privacy for your medical care. This includes all communications and records about your care.

1. •To expect that, within its capacity, a hospital must make a reasonable response to your request for services.
   

2. •To get information about any connection between your hospital and other health care and educational institutions, as it relates to your care.
   

3. •To be advised if the hospital proposes to take part in or perform human experiments that could affect your care or treatment.
   

4. •To examine and receive an explanation of your bill no matter how it is paid.
   

5. •To know what hospital rules and regulations apply to your conduct as a patient.
   

6. •To obtain a copy of your written medical records.