Patient Rights & Responsibilities
Your rights:
- To receive the best care we can offer for your problem, without regard to national origin, race, age, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or illness.
- To be treated with respect, consideration and dignity. To expect that your personal convictions and beliefs will be taken into account when you seek services and when decisions are made by Yale University Health Services (YUHS) clinicians regarding your care.
- To agree or to refuse any healthcare service and to be informed of medical consequences of services refused. To give informed consent for diagnostic or treatment procedures, as appropriate.
- To know the identity and professional status of your clinical care team and to be able to choose your primary care clinician(s) to the extent possible.
- To have your privacy respected.
- To expect that your medical records will be kept confidential and that access to information about you will be limited to those legitimately involved in your care in accordance with Yale University Health Services’ Notice of Privacy Practices.
- To receive information from your clinician concerning your illness, condition, treatment (including possible side effects), and plans for your care. To expect reasonable continuity of care as appropriate and to be informed by your caregivers of available, realistic patient care options when the present course or venue of therapy is no longer appropriate.
- To receive appropriate assessment and management of pain.
- To review your medical record, except when restricted by law, and to have the information explained or interpreted as necessary.
- To be informed of any research aspect of your care and to be able to decline participation without jeopardizing your access to medical care and treatment.
- To be informed of the YUHS resources for resolving disputes, grievances, and conflicts.
- To request an itemized bill and to have charges explained.
- To have an advance directive (such as a living will, healthcare proxy, or durable power of attorney for healthcare) concerning health care decisions. YUHS will honor the advance directive to the extent permitted by law.
- To be informed of and be welcome to ask about the existence of business relationships between YUHS and other health care providers or commercial entities, or other payers that might influence your treatment and care.
Your responsibilities:
- To give us complete information about your health. We need to know about your symptoms, treatments, medicines, medical history and other health or safety concerns. Tell us if you are in pain.
- To tell us if you do not understand your care and treatment. Ask questions when you don’t understand the plan of care and what is required of you.
- To be responsible for following the plan of care you and your clinician have agreed upon to help you get well. If you cannot follow the plan, please tell us.
- To be responsible for your health outcomes if you do not follow treatment recommendations and instructions. Recognize the effects of lifestyle on personal health and take reasonable precautions to remain healthy.
- To notify us when you cannot keep your appointment and provide us with updated information such as new addresses and phone numbers so we may contact you as necessary.
- To be considerate of the rights of other patients and YUHS staff.
- To follow YUHS’ rules and regulations that relate to patients.
- To provide YUHS with complete insurance information to ensure that your medical bills are paid properly. Please remember that you are financially responsible for payment of any deductibles, coinsurance, fee-for-service visits and non-covered services.
- To provide us with documentation of any advance directives and tell us when you have changed these directives.
Revised, 6/06
