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:
- Receive services(s) without regard to age, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, sex, national origin or sponsor;
- Be treated with consideration, respect and dignity including privacy in treatment;
- Be informed of the services available at the center;
- Be informed of the provisions for off-hour emergency coverage;
- Be informed of the charges for services, eligibility for third-party reimbursements and, when applicable, the availability of free or reduced cost care;
- Receive an itemized copy of his/her account statement, upon request;
- 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;
- 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;
- Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be fully informed of the medical consequences of his/her action;
- Refuse to participate in experimental research;
- 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;
- 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;
- Privacy and confidentiality of all information and records pertaining to the patient’s treatment;
- 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;
- 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?
- Authorize those family members and other adults who will be given priority to visit consistent with your ability to receive visitors; and
- 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:
- Behave in a responsible manner and observe all center rules and regulations.
- Treat staff and other patients with courtesy and respect.
- Be considerate of other patients’ rights to confidential care.
- 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.
- 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.
- Discuss with the medical staff any problems or obstacles that may affect your ability to return home for recovery.
- Be responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow instructions.
- Pay for care on a timely basis after receiving a bill for payment from the Surgery Center.
- Make suggestions about improving Center operations. Ask questions about any aspect of your care and treatment plan.
- Participate in the post-procedure telephone survey and patient survey to assist in maintaining high-quality care at the Center.
- Provide a responsible adult to transport you home from the Center and to stay with you for 24 hours if required by your provider.