Patient Rights & Responsibilities
Patient Rights
The patient has the right:
- To be treated with courtesy, respect, and consideration with appreciation of his or her individual dignity and with protection and provision of personal privacy as appropriate
- To receive service(s) without regard to age, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, sex, national origin or sponsor;
- To an environment that is respectful, safe and secure for self/person and property without being subjected to discrimination or reprisal
- To confidentiality of information gathered during treatment
- To prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests
- To know who is providing and is responsible for his or her care and their credentials
- To know what patient support services are available, including whether an interpreter is available if he or she does not speak English
- To know what rules and regulations apply to his or her conduct
- To be given by the health care provider information concerning diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis.
- To refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be fully informed of the medical consequences of his/her actions
- To be given, upon request, full information and necessary counseling on the availability of known financial resources for his or her care
- To know upon request and in advance of treatment, whether the health care provider or health care Facility accepts their Advance Directives
- To receive upon request, prior to treatment, a reasonable estimate of charges for medical care
- To receive a copy of reasonably clear and understandable, itemized bill and, upon request, to have charges explained
- To receive impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations, regardless of race, national origin, religion, physical handicap, or source of payment
- To make known his/her wishes in regard to anatomic gifts. This can be documented in the Health Care Proxy or on a donor card.
- To change their healthcare provider if other qualified providers are available
- To be informed of the provision of off hour emergency care
- To receive treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment
- To know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental/research and to give his or her consent or refusal to participate in such experimental research
- To make informed decisions regarding his or her care
- To receive from his/her physician information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any nonemergency procedure or treatment or both. An informed consent shall include, as a minimum, the provision of information concerning the specific procedure or treatment or both, the reasonably foreseeable risks involved, and alternatives for care or treatment, if any, as a reasonable medical practitioner under similar circumstances would disclose in a manner permitting the patient to make a knowledgeable decision;
- To be fully informed about a treatment or procedure and the expected outcome before it is performed
- To approve or refuse their release of confidential disclosures and records, except when release is required by law
- To express grievances regarding their treatment or care that is or fails to be furnished or regarding any violation of his or her rights.
- To participate in all aspects of health care decisions, unless contraindicated for medical reasons
- To appropriate assessment and management of pain
- If the patient has been adjudged incompetent under applicable state laws by a court of proper jurisdiction, the rights of the patient will be exercised by the person appointed under state law to act on the patient’s behalf.
- If a state court has not adjudged a patient incompetent, any legal representative or surrogate designated by the patient in accordance with state law may exercise the patient’s rights to the extent allowed by state law.
- To be free from all forms of abuse or harassment
To express a grievance, the patient may contact the facility by telephone at (718) 629-5590 ext 9088 or (347) 417-9088, or write a letter to Stephanie Gass, Privacy Officer, 1903 Utica Avenue Brooklyn NY 11234.
Patients may call the New York State Department of Health toll-free number at 1-800-804-5447 or by mail at: New York State Department of Health, Centralized Hospital Intake Program, Mailstop: CA/DCS, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12237. You may also file a facility complaint form on the DOH website: https://apps.health.ny.gov/surveyd8/facility-complaint-form
Medicare patients may complain to the Medicare program by contacting the Office of the Medicare Ombudsman on their website: http://www.medicare.gov/claims-and-appeals/medicare-rights/get-help/ombudsman.html