Patient Rights and Responsibilities
We believe everyone deserves special treatment and high-quality health care. You and your family have rights and responsibilities under California law. We want you to understand and use these rights and responsibilities. If for any reason you do not understand or you need help, we will provide assistance, including an interpreter.
You and your parent/guardian have the right to:
Considerate and respectful care, and to be made comfortable. You have the right to have your personal values and beliefs respected.
Have a family member or someone you choose told promptly of your admission into the hospital. Have your own doctor told promptly of your admission into the hospital.
Know the name of the doctor who will be in charge of your care. Know the names and jobs of all the others that will be seeing you during your hospital stay.
Be told about your illness, treatment, and possibilities for recovery in the language and words you understand. You have the right to help the doctors make plans for your treatment and how it is to be carried out. You have the right to express your wishes regarding ethical questions that may come up. This may include questions about conflicts and how they will be resolved, withholding CPR and not doing or withdrawing life support treatment.
Make decisions about your medical care. Receive any information you may need to understand the medical care or tests that will help you give consent for, or refusal for, the treatment or tests. This information will include a description of the treatment, alternate treatments or non-treatments, the possible risks and benefits, and the name of the persons who will provide the treatment or tests. In case of an emergency, medical care will be given before gathering information.
Ask for or refuse treatment, to the extent permitted by law. However, you do not have the right to demand inappropriate or medically unnecessary treatment or services. You have the right to leave the hospital even against the advice of the doctors to the extent permitted by law.
Be advised if the hospital/your doctor suggests to take part in or do human experimentation affecting your care or treatment. You have the right to refuse to take part in such research projects.
Reasonable responses to any reasonable requests made for service.
The patient has the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
To decide about advanced directives. This includes choosing a decision-maker if you can not understand a suggested medical care or tests, or if you are no longer able to communicate your wishes regarding care. All hospital staff must follow the advanced directives.
Have personal privacy respected. You have the right to ask any one in the room to leave during an examination or discussion about your care or diagnosis.
Have all communications and records regarding your medical care be treated confidentially. The hospital may release information when permitted or required by law. Except for these circumstances, the hospital will get your written permission to release any information other than basic information. Consultation, examination, treatment and discussions about your care will be conducted in a way that protects and respects you privacy.
To get information in your medical records within a reasonable amount of time unless the law states otherwise.
Receive medical care in a safe setting without physical abuse, verbal abuse, or harassment. You have the right to get protective services, including notifying government agencies, of neglect or abuse.
We will keep your child free from restraints and seclusion except when needed and as provided by law.
Receive information about all aspects of your care in a timely manner, including the time and location of appointments and the names of the people who will be caring for you.
Be informed by your doctor, or other caregivers, of continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.
Know which hospital rules and policies apply to your behavior while a patient.
Choose those you wish to have visit, if you a have decision-making capacity, whether the visitor is related by blood or marriage, unless:
- No visitors are allowed
- The hospital reasonably determines that the presence of a particular visitor would endanger the health or safety of a patient, a member of the hospital staff, another visitor to the hospital, or would significantly disrupt the operations of the hospital.
- You have told the hospital staff that you no longer want a particular person to visit. The hospital may establish reasonable restrictions upon visitors, including restrictions upon the hours visitors may come to the hospital and the number of visitors.
Have your wishes considered, if you lack decision-making capacity, for the purposes for determining who may visit. The method of the consideration will be disclosed in the hospital policy on visitation. At a minimum, the hospital shall include any person living in your household.
Examine and receive an explanation of the hospital’s bill regardless of the source of payment.
Exercise these rights without regard to sex, economic status, educational background, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation or marital status or the source of payment for care.
File a grievance and/or a complaint with the hospital and/or Department of Health Services and be informed of the action taken.
You and your child have the responsibility to:
Participate actively in decisions about care and treatment.
Treat others with respect and dignity. Respect other’s privacy.
Be considerate of other patients, families and staff and follow hospital ruses about patient, family and visitor conduct.
Follow the hospital’s rules and restrictions about the number of visitors allowed, when they can visit, and for how long.
Respect hospital property and the property of others.
Let us know if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s treatment or care.
Know your child’s health care requirements following discharge from the hospital, including follow-up care.
Be part of your child’s health care team. This means:
- Providing accurate and complete information about your child’s health;
- Answering all questions honestly and accurately;
- Asking questions so that you understand what is happening and why;
- Following the treatment your child’s doctors and nurses have planned;
- Telling us about any changes; and
- Knowing the doctor who is in charge of your child’s care.
Provide accurate and complete information about your family’s health insurance and payments. Pay bills in a timely manner.
Know your responsibilities regarding your child’s ongoing health needs.