Medical Malpractice & Personal Injury Blog

Understanding The Patient’s Bill of Rights

Understanding the Patient’s Bill of Rights will enable you to take a pro-active role in your health care, understand your rights as a patient and minimize the occurrence of medical errors resulting in hospital malpractice or doctor malpractice.
The Patient’s Bill of Rights has three major goals:
1. To increase patient confidence in the health care system by:

· Ensuring a fair health care system that is responsive to patients’ needs;
· Providing patients with processes through which they can address their concerns;
· Encouraging patients to a take pro-active role in their health care.

2. To emphasis the significance of the relationship between patient and health care provider; and

3. To promote a pro-active health care attitude by the patient by establishing rights and responsibilities of the patient and health care provider.

There are 8 key sections to the Patient’s Bill of Rights.
Information Disclosure
You have the right to receive accurate and easily understood information about health plans, health professionals, health care facilities and consumer assistance programs. If you require aid to obtain or understand this information, you are entitled to appropriate services to assist you.
Choice of Providers and Plans
You have the right to a sufficient choice of health care providers to ensure that you have access to high-quality health care at the time it is required.
Access to Emergency Services
You have the right to health care services in emergency situations in whatever location you are in. Health care plans should provide funding in those circumstances where a patient has acute symptoms that indicate the patient’s health may be jeopardized without immediate medical care. You should not need authorization from your health care plan before medical attention is provided.
Participation in Treatment Decisions
You have both the right and responsibility to participate in decisions regarding your health care. If you are unable to exercise your rights and responsibilities, a duly authorized family member or other representative may undertake these on your behalf.
Respect and Nondiscrimination
You must not be discriminated against by health care providers on the basis on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, genetic information or method of payment. You have the right to considerate, respectful care from health care providers.
Confidentiality of Health Information
You have the right to have your discussions with your health care providers held in confidence. Your health care records must also be confidentially protected. You have the right to access your records and copy them, as well as request amendments to the records.
Complaints and Appeals
You have the right to an unbiased procedure for resolution of complaints regarding health care providers, health care facilities and health care plans. This procedure includes an internal review and independent external review.
Consumer Responsibilities
You are expected to assume reasonable responsibilities to promote the success of your health care. These responsibilities include healthy dietary and exercise habits, disclosing all relevant information to health care providers, following health care providers’ advice, avoid knowingly spreading disease, being respectful to other patients and recognize the health care facilities obligations for their care as well, being informed about your health care plan and reporting any wrongdoing to the appropriate authorities.
While this is a general overview of the Patient’s Bill of Rights, it provides you with a basic knowledge of your rights and responsibilities for the next time you require medical assistance.
If you feel you are the victim of doctor malpractice or hospital malpractice you should contact a qualified medical malpractice attorney immediately for advice.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books “How To Find A Great Lawyer” and “Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case.”
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