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Patient Rights

When you’re a patient in the Palm Beach Health Network we want you to be an invested partner in your own care. As such a partner, you have certain rights and responsibilities. We respect your patient rights and want to ensure you have everything you need to communicate with us openly and effectively.

The sections below provide a full explanation of your rights:

Patient Rights

  • You have the right to considerate and respectful care.
  • You have the right to be involved in all aspects of your care.
  • You have the right to exclude any or all family members from participating in your healthcare decisions.
  • You have a right to communication without language, visual, hearing or learning barriers.
  • You have the right to be well-informed about your illness, possible treatments, and likely outcome by discussing this information with your doctor. You have the right to know the names and roles of people treating you.
  • You have a right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
  • You have the right to consent to or refuse treatment, as permitted by law, throughout your hospital stay. If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.
  • You have the right to have an advance directive, such as a living will or healthcare proxy. These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have a written advance directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your family, and your doctor.
  • You have the right to reasonable privacy. The hospital, your doctor and others caring for you will protect your privacy appropriately.
  • You have the right to expect that treatment records are confidential unless you have given permission to release information, or reporting is required or permitted by law. When the hospital releases records to others, such as insurers, it emphasizes that the records are confidential.
  • You have the right to access information in your medical records and to have the information explained, except when restricted by law.
  • You have the right to expect that the hospital will give you hospital services in accordance with the conditions of your admission and necessary emergency care as required by applicable law. Treatment, referral, or transfer if you are medically stable may be recommended. If transfer is recommended or requested, you will be informed of the risks, benefits, and alternatives by your doctor. You will not be transferred until the other institution agrees to accept you.
  • You have the right to know if this hospital has relationships with outside parties as applicable to your treatment and care.
  • You have the right to consent or decline to take part in research affecting your care. If you choose not to take part, you will receive the appropriate care the hospital otherwise provides.
  • You have the right to be told of realistic care alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
  • You have the right to know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods. You have the right to know about hospital resources, such as patient representatives or ethics committees that can help you resolve problems and questions about your hospital stay and care.
  • You have the right to participate in development, and implementation of your plan of care, make decisions regarding your care and be informed of your status.
  • You have the right to receive care in a safe secure environment, free from verbal or physical abuse or harassment, and to be free from restraints and seclusion used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.
  • You have the right to file a grievance related to your stay at this hospital. To file a grievance, please see below.

Patient Responsibilities

  • You are responsible for providing information about your health, including past illnesses, hospital stays, and use of medicine.
  • You are responsible for asking questions when you do not understand information or instructions.
  • If you believe you can’t follow through with your treatment, you are responsible for telling your doctor.
  • You and your visitors are responsible for being considerate of the needs of other patients, staff and the hospital.
  • You are responsible for providing information for insurance and for working with the hospital to arrange payment, when needed.
  • You are responsible for recognizing the effect of lifestyle on your personal health. Your health depends not just on your hospital care but, in the long term, on the decisions you make in your daily life.

Complaint and Grievance Process