Did you know that Florida law requires that your health care doctor or health care facility recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care and that you respect the health care doctor or health care facility’s right to expect certain behavior on the part of patients.
A summary of your rights and responsibilities follows:
Patient Rights
- A patient has the right to be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of his/her individual dignity, and with protection of his/her need for privacy.
- A patient has the right to a prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests.
- A patient has the right to know who is providing medical services and who is responsible for his/her care.
- A patient has the right to know what patient support services are available, including whether an interpreter is available if he/she does not speak English.
- A patient has the right to know what rules and regulations apply to his/her conduct.
- A patient has the right to be given by his/her health care doctor information concerning diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis.
- A patient has the right to refuse any treatment, except as otherwise provided by law.
- A patient has the right to be given, upon request, full information and necessary counseling on the availability of known financial resources for his/her care.
- A patient who is eligible for Medicare has the right to know, upon request and in advance of treatment, whether the health care doctor or health care facility accepts the Medicare assignment rate.
- A patient has the right to receive, upon request, prior to treatment, a reasonable estimate of charges for medical care.
- A patient has the right to receive a copy of a reasonably clear and understandable, itemized bill and, upon request, to have the charges explained, and receive adequate information needed for insurance filing.
- A patient has the right to impartial access t o medical treatment or accommodations, regardless of race, national origin, religion, physical handicap, or source of payment.
- A patient has the right to treatment for any emergency medical condition which will deteriorate from failure to provide care.
- A patient has the right to know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental research and to give his/her consent or refusal to participate in such experimental research.
- A patient has the right to express grievances regarding any violations of his/her rights, as stated in Florida law, through the grievance procedure of the health plan, the health care doctor or health care facility which served him/her and to the appropriate state licensing agency.
Patient Responsibilities
- A patient is responsible for providing to his/her health care doctor, to the best of his/her knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to his/her health.
- A patient is responsible for reporting unexpected changes in his/her condition to his/her health care doctor.
- A patient is responsible for reporting to his/her health care doctor whether he/she comprehends a contemplated course of action and what is expected of him/her.
- A patient is responsible for following treatment plan recommended by his/her health care doctor.
- A patient is responsible for keeping appointments and, when he/she is unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the health care doctor or health care facility.
- A patient is responsible for his/her actions if he/she refuses treatment or does not follow the health care doctor’s instructions.
- A patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his/her health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
- A patient is responsible for following health care facility rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
