Understanding the Patient's Bill of Rights
History of the Patient's Bill of Rights
The Patient's Bill of Rights initially came into being over thirty years ago, in the early 1970s. The Patient's Bill of Rights was created and adopted by the American Hospital Association at that juncture. The ultimate goal of the Patient's Bill of Rights was to work to ensure that patients in hospitals and medical centers as well as in other treament settings receive the best possible healthcare available.
Overview of the Patient's Bill of Rights
The Patient's Bill of Rights, in its form today, contains fifteen separate provisions. The Patient's Bill of Rights begins with a provision setting for that the patient has a right to both considerate and respectful medical care. The Patient's Bill of Rights goes on to set forth that the patient has the right to obtain direct and easily understood information from a healthcare provider in regard to that patient's medical condition, prognosis and treatment plan and regimen.
In addition, the Patient's Bill of Rights makes it clear that a patient has the absolute right to know the identity of all of the people who are involved in his or her treatment -- including doctors, nurses and other staff members. The Patient's Bill of Rights upholds the right of a patient to make decisions in regard to his or healthcare and treatment regimen. The patient is entitled to assist in planning a course of treatment and is entitled to remain involved in the decision making process throughout the course and conduct of a treatment regimen.
Under the Patient's Bill of Rights, the patient has a right to execute an advance directive -- a living will or similar type of document -- that concerns that patient's treatment wishes. A hospital or medical center must advise a patient of his or her rights under the law. Further, the patient -- under the Patient's Bill of Rights -- has the right to privacy. Along with the overall privacy right, a patient has the right to expect that all of his or her medical records will be treated confidentially all of the time. The patient has the right to review his medical records as he or she desires.
The patient also has the right to have a hospital or medical center provide requested treatment in a reasonable period of time. That patient also has the right of knowing of any inter-relationship that a hospital might have with another entity that might impact patient care or a particular patient's course of treatment. The patient has the right to agree to or to decline any research studies that a hospital or medical center may be involved with from time to time.
Pursuant to the Patient's Bill of Rights, a patient has the right to expect reasonable and appropriate continuing care and to be advised of what options are available to a patient following his or her discharge from a hospital or medical center. Finally, the patient has the right to be informed of all relevant and applicable hospital policies including resources that are available for resolving a patient's grievances.
A Patient's Responsibilities
In addition to a patient's rights, the Patient's Bill of Rights also imposes on a patient certain responsibilities. For example, a patient has the responsibility to provide accurate and thorough information about past illnesses, health history and related matters. A patient is responsible for requesting additional information about health related issues. A patient is responsible for making certain that a hospital has a copy of his or her advanced directive on file.
Furthermore, a patient is responsible for making certain that a healthcare provider is made aware of any problems that the patient foresees in regard to a proposed course of treatment. Patients are obliged to make reasonable accomodations to the needs of a hospital and not make unreasonable demands on the hospital's staff. Patients are required to provide all information necessary for a hospital to appropriately process an insurance claim.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly when it comes to the responsibilities of a patient under the Patient's Bill of Rights, a patient has the responsibility of recognizing the impact of his or her lifestyle on his or her personal health.
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