Patient Rights: Informed Consent, Privacy and Where to Get Help

Your rights as a patient

Some patient rights are guaranteed by federal law — for example, the right to get a copy of your medical records and to keep them private and secure. Many states add protections of their own, and some states, insurance plans, medical organizations and health care facilities have their own patient bill of rights.

Other examples of patient rights:

• being treated with respect;
• not being discriminated against in your medical care;
• the right to refuse treatment;
• the right of informed consent.

Informed consent

Informed consent is an important right. It's a process in which your health care provider gives you the information you need to make decisions about your care — whether that's treatments, procedures, genetic testing or clinical trials.

• The information should cover the care's risks and benefits and details about your medical condition.
• Make sure you understand everything before you agree.
• Sometimes your provider will ask you to sign a form to give consent. This is called written consent.
• You can change your mind about consent at any time.

Where to get help

If you have a problem with your rights as a patient:

• Patient advocates: many hospitals have them. They can guide you through the health care system and make sure your rights are protected.
• Your state may help. It may have an ombudsman office for problems with long-term care, and your state department of health may be able to help. States also have oversight agencies for insurance companies and for different kinds of health care facilities and providers, which make sure they follow the rules so you get quality care.
• The federal government: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has an Office for Civil Rights. You can file a complaint with it if you think you've been discriminated against in your medical care, or that your health information privacy rights have been violated.

Sources

Based on "Patient Rights," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.