PATIENT RIGHTS

Access to Care-Individuals shall be accorded impartial access to treatment or accommodations that are available or medically necessary, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, or sources of payment for care.
Respect and Dignity-The patient has the right to considerate, respectful care at all times and under all circumstances, with recognition of his personal dignity.
Privacy and Confidentiality-The patient has the right, within the law, to personal and informational privacy, as manifested by the following rights:

• To refuse to talk with or see anyone not officially connected with the Dekalb Family Medicine On Candler (hereafter called the practice), including visitors, or persons officially connected with practice, but not directly involved in his/her care.
• To have reasonable accommodations made which support the patient's cultural and spiritual beliefs. This includes the right to wear appropriate personal clothing and religious or other symbolic items, as long as they do not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment.
• To be interviewed and examined in surroundings designed to assure reasonable visual and auditory privacy. This includes the right to have a person of one's own sex present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment, or procedure performed by a health professional of the opposite sex and the right not to remain disrobed any longer than is required for accomplishing the medical purpose for which the patient was asked to disrobe.
• To expect that any discussion or consultation involving his case will be conducted discreetly and that individuals not directly involved in his care will not be present without his permission.
• To have his medical record read only by individuals directly involved in his treatment or in the monitoring of its quality and by other individuals only on his written authorization or that of his legally authorized representative. The patient also has the right to timely access of his clinical records.
• To expect all communications and other records pertaining to his care, including the source of payment for treatment, to be treated as confidential.
• To request a transfer to another room if another patient or a visitor in a room is unreasonably disturbing him.

To be placed in protective privacy when considered necessary for personal safety.

Personal Safety-The patient has the right to expect reasonable safety insofar as the office practices and environment are concerned.
Identity-The patient has the right to know the identity and professional status of individuals providing service to him and to know which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his care. This includes the patient's right to know of the existence of any professional relationship to any other healthcare or educational institutions involved in his care. Participation by patients in clinical training programs or in the gathering of data for research purposes should be voluntary.

Information-The patient has the right to obtain, from the practitioner responsible for coordinating his care, complete and current information concerning his diagnosis (to the degree known), treatment, and any known prognosis. This information should be communicated in terms the patient can reasonably be expected to understand. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be made available to a legally authorized individual.

Consent-The patient has the right to reasonable informed participation in the development and implementation of his plan of care. To the degree possible, this should be based on a clear, concise explanation of his condition and of all proposed technical procedures, including the possibilities of any risk of mortality or serious side effects, problems related to recuperation, and probability of success. The patient should not be subjected to any procedure without his voluntary, competent, and understanding consent or that of his legally authorized representative. Where medically significant alternatives for care or treatment exist, the patient shall be so informed.
The patient has the right to know who is responsible for authorizing and performing the procedures or treatment.
The patient shall be informed if the practice proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational projects affecting his care or treatment, and the patient has the right to refuse to participate in any such activity.

Seclusion and Restraint-the patient has the right to be free from restraints and seclusions of any form that are not medically necessary or are used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.

Protective Services-The patient has a right to information and assistance in obtaining protective services (e.g., security, ombudsman, adult protective services) when necessary.

Consultation-The patient, at his own request and expense, has the right to consult with a specialist.

Refusal of Treatment-The patient may refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. When refusal of treatment by the patient or his legally authorized representative prevents the provision of appropriate care in accordance with professional standards, the relationship with the patient may be terminated upon reasonable notice.