You Have RIGHTS!
In a healthcare system that is so vast and complicated sometimes it is hard to remember that we as patients have rights and responsibilities. We don't intend to become victims of the system but let's face it: we use the system when we don't feel well, and when we don't feel well we are not always in our 'right mind'.
{Ahem...always have a care partner.}
Here is a reminder that you have a Patients' Bill of Rights and every healthcare professional knows it, even if they don't always follow it. Take a few minutes to read through your rights, you may be surprised by what you read.
You also have the right to Informed Consent to Treatment. Informed consent is "the process in which a health care provider educates a patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a given procedure or intervention."
You know that tablet they stick under your nose before a procedure or treatment and tell you to sign it?
Have you read it thoroughly? YOU SHOULD
Did you know you can adjust your consent? YOU CAN
Did you know you can ask to have the consent in PRINT format for easier reading and adjustments with your initials? YOU CAN
The Informed Consent document is not an "all or nothing" agreement.
HIPAA, HIPAA, HIPAA
Your Right to Privacy
With limited exceptions, the HIPAA Privacy Rule provides individuals with a legal, enforceable right to see and receive copies upon request of the information in their medical and other health records maintained by their health care providers and health plans.
It is our responsibility to hold our providers and facilities accountable to our Rights as patients and treat us accordingly. Knowing your rights as a patient will go a long way toward better communication, better care, and better self-advocacy.
If you have questions about what you read here or wonder if a healthcare situation has violated your rights, call me and we can discuss it.