Patients’ Bill of rights for Diagnostic and Treatment Centers

As a patient in a Clinic in New York State, you have the right, consistent with law, to:

1. Receive services(s) without regard to age, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, sex, national origin or sponsor;
2. Be treated with consideration, respect and dignity including privacy in treatment;
3. Be informed of the services available at the center;
4. Be informed of the provisions for off-hour emergency coverage;
5. Be informed of the charges for services, eligibility for third-party reimbursements and, when applicable, the availability of free or reduced cost care;
6. Receive an itemized copy of his/her account statement, upon request;
7. Obtain from his/her health care practitioner, or the health care practitioner’s delegate, complete and current information concerning his/her diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in terms the patient can be reasonably expected to understand;
8. 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;
9. Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be fully informed of the medical consequences of his/her action;
10. Refuse to participate in experimental research;
11. Voice grievances and recommend changes in policies and services to the center’s staff, the operator and the New York State Department of Health without fear of reprisal;
12. Express complaints about the care and services provided and to have the center investigate such complaints. The center is responsible for providing the patient or his/her designee with a written response within 30 days if requested by the patient indicating the findings of the investigation. The center is also responsible for notifying the patient or his/her designee that if the patient is not satisfied by the center response, the patient may complain to the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Health Systems Management;
13. Privacy and confidentiality of all information and records pertaining to the patient’s treatment;
14. Approve or refuse the release or disclosure of the contents of his/her medical record to any health-care practitioner and/or health-care facility except as required by law or third-party payment contract;
15. Access to his/her medical record per Section 18 of the Public Health Law, and Subpart 50-3. For additional information see: Access to Your Medical Records and Do I Have the Right to See My Medical Records?
16. Authorize those family members and other adults who will be given priority to visit consistent with your ability to receive visitors; and
17. Make known your wishes in regard to anatomical gifts. You may document your wishes in your health care proxy or on a donor card, available from the center.

New York State Department of Health Patient’s Rights, 10NYCRR, Section 751.9

View Patients’ Bill of Rights for Diagnostic & Treatment Centers (Clinics) website »

 

Patient Responsibilities

Patients of the Digestive Disease Center of Central New York, L.L.C. seeking treatment at the ambulatory surgery center have the responsibility to:

1. Behave in a responsible manner and observe all center rules and regulations.
2. Treat staff and other patients with courtesy and respect.
3. Be considerate of other patients’ rights to confidential care.
4. Provide to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, medications and other pertinent facts relating to your health status. A patient is responsible for making it known whether you clearly comprehend a contemplated course of action and what is expected of you.
5. Participate in the decision-making involved in your procedure and follow-up care. This includes being honest on the recovery process and answering questions honestly at discharge, so patients are not discharged prematurely.
6. Discuss with the medical staff any problems or obstacles that may affect your ability to return home for recovery.
7. Be responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow instructions.
8. Pay for care on a timely basis after receiving a bill for payment from the Surgery Center.
9. Make suggestions about improving Center operations. Ask questions about any aspect of your care and treatment plan.
10. Participate in the post-procedure telephone survey and patient survey to assist in maintaining high-quality care at the Center.
11. Provide a responsible adult to transport you home from the Center and to stay with you for 24 hours if required by your provider.