Patient Bill of Rights & Responsibilities

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Date of Last Revision: 10/01/19

Download the document here (PDF).

Florida law requires that your health care provider or health care facility recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care and that you respect the health care provider’s or facility’s right to expect certain behavior from you. You may request a copy of the full text of the law from your health care provider or facility. Water’s Edge Dermatology has formally adopted the patient’s rights and responsibilities in accordance with Florida law.

YOUR RIGHTS

• A patient has the right to be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of his/her individual dignity, in a safe setting 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 bring any person of his/her choosing to the patient-accessible areas of the health care facility or provider’s office to accompany the patient while the patient is receiving treatment or is consulting with his/her health care
  provider, unless doing so would risk the safety or health of the patient, other patients, or staff of the facility or office or cannot be reasonably accommodated by the facility of provider.
• 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 provider 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 provider or health care facility accepts the Medicare assignment rate.
• A patient has the right to receive, upon request, prior to a 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 charges explained.
• A patient has the right to impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations, regardless of race, national origin, religion, handicap or source of payment.
• A patient has the right to treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment.
• 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 violation of his/her rights, as stated in Florida law, through the grievance procedure of the health care provider or health care facility which serves him/her and to the appropriate state licensing agency.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• A patient is responsible for providing to his/her health care provider, 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 provider.
• A patient is responsible for reporting to his/her health care provider whether he/she comprehends a contemplated course of action and what is expected of him/her.
• A patient is responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by his/her health care provider.
• A patient is responsible for keeping appointments and, when he/she is unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the health care provider or health care facility.
• A patient is responsible for his/her actions if he/she refuses treatment or does not follow the health care provider’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.