Patient Information > Rights

Patient's Rights:

• No discrimination. A patient will not be denied appropriate care on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual preference, or source of payment.
  
  
• Respect. A patient is entitled, to the extent feasible, to treatment and caring for his or her personal needs, to consideration, respect, and full recognition of his or her dignity and individuality.
  
  
• Appropriate care. A patient is entitled to receive adequate and appropriate care.
  
  
• Informed decisions. A patient has the right to make informed decisions and to receive from the appropriate individual information about his or her medical condition, proposed course of treatment, prospects for recovery, and available choices for treatment. These are to be presented in terms the patient can understand, unless harmful to the patient's medical condition, as noted by the patient's physician in the medical record. A patient is entitled to know who is responsible for providing his or her direct care.
  
  
• Inspection of medical records. A patient or former patient is entitled to inspect, or to receive for a reasonable fee, a copy of his or her medical record upon request within a reasonable timeframe.
  
  
• Confidentiality of records. A patient or former patient is entitled to confidential treatment of his or her personal and medical records. A third party shall not be allowed access to a patient's personal and medical records without the prior authorization of the patient, except as required because of a transfer to another health care facility, or as required by law or a third party payment contract.
  
  
• Privacy. A patient is entitled to privacy, to the extent feasible, in treatment and in caring for his or her personal needs.
  
  
• Refusal of treatment. A patient is entitled to refuse treatment to the extent provided by law, and to be informed of the consequences of that refusal. However, when a refusal of treatment prevents the Center or the physician from providing appropriate care according to ethical and professional standards, the Center or the physician may terminate the relationship with the patient.
  
  
• Exercise of rights. A patient is entitled to exercise his or her rights as a patient and as a citizen free from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal. A patient's civil and religious liberties, including the right to independent personal decisions, shall not be infringed.
  
  
• Experimental procedures. A patient is entitled to information concerning an experimental procedure proposed as part of his or her care, and shall have the right to refuse to participate in the experiment without jeopardizing his or her continuing care.
  
  
• Explanation of the bill. A patient is entitled to receive an explanation of his or her bill, regardless of the source of payment, and to receive, upon request, information related to financial assistance available through the Center.
  
  
• Plan of care. A patient is entitled to receive information concerning his or her continuing health needs and alternatives for meeting those needs. The patient has the right to participate in the development and implementation of his or her plan of care.
  
  
• Private communications. A patient is entitled to associate with, and have private communications and consultations with his or her physician, attorney, or any other person of his or her choice, and to send and receive personal mail unopened on the same day it is received at the Center, unless harmful to the patient's medical condition, as noted by the patient's physician in the medical record.
  
  
• Social activities. A patient may meet with, and participate in the activities of social, religious, and community groups at his or her discretion, unless harmful to the patient's medical condition, as noted by the patient's physician in the medical record.
  
  
• Freedom from restraint and abuse. A patient is entitled to be free from mental and physical abuse, and from physical and chemical restraints, except those restraints authorized by the patient's physician in the medical record for a specified and limited time, or as necessary by an emergency to protect the patient from injury to self or to others.
  
  
• No services by the patient. A patient is entitled to be free from performing services for the Center that are not included for therapeutic purposes in the patient's plan of care.
  
  
• Information about AfterOurs. A patient is entitled to information about the Urgent Care Center 's rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct. A patient is entitled to information about their policies and procedures for initiation, review, and resolution of patient complaints.
  
  
• Advance directives. A patient is entitled to receive information about designating another person to make decisions about his or her medical care at the Urgent Care Center in the event the patient is not capable of making decisions for himself or herself. A patient may write an advance directive, and the staff will comply with the provisions of the directive within the guidelines of the law and medical ethics.
  
  
• Personal safety. A patient is entitled to expect reasonable safety as to the Center's practices and environment.
  
  
• Transfer of care. A patient may not be transferred to another facility unless the patient has received a complete explanation of the need for transfer.
  
  
• HIV testing. A patient may not be tested for HIV infection without the patient's consent, unless a health professional or the Center's employee sustains percutaneous, mucous membrane, or open wound exposure to the patient's blood or other body fluids. If such exposure has occurred, an HIV test may be performed upon the patient without the patient's consent.
  
  
• Pain control. A patient has the right to pain control that is appropriate to his or her situation and needs.

If a patient believes he or she was not provided any of the rights mentioned, the patient is invited to file a complaint or a grievance with AfterOurs, Inc. by calling (303) 407-0520.