The document discusses patient rights and responsibilities. It covers the Patient Self-Determination Act which protects a patient's right to make their own medical decisions. Some key patient rights mentioned are the right to ask questions, provide advance directives, privacy and consent to treatment. Patient responsibilities include providing accurate medical information, following treatment plans, and understanding care instructions. The document also provides tips for preventing medical errors and questions to test understanding of patient rights and responsibilities.

2. Chapter 14
Patient Rights & Responsibilities
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3. Patient Self-Determination Act
• Protection of a patient’s right to make
decisions.
• Organizations required to observe, protect &
promote patient rights.
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4. Patient Rights – I
• Admission
– Discrimination Prohibited
– Government Facilities
• Timely Response to Care Needs
• Know One’s Rights
– Bill of Rights
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5. Patient Rights – II
• Ask Questions
– Clarification of the caregiver’s instructions.
– Interpretation of a caregiver’s illegible handwriting.
– Instructions for medication usage (e.g., frequency,
dosing, drug–drug or drug–food interactions,
contraindications, side effects).
– Clarification of the physician’s diet orders (e.g., “Does
my iced tea contain sugar-free substitutes?”).
– Explanation of the treatment plan.
– A copy of the organization’s hand-washing policy.
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6. Patient Rights – III
• A description of the hospital’s procedures to
prevent wrong site surgery (e.g., the surgical site
has been appropriately marked).
• The surgeon to draw an arrow pointing to the
surgical site if a surgical site cannot be directly
marked.
• The opportunity to provide the organization with a
copy of any advance directives that may have been
executed (e.g., living will).
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7. Patient Rights – IV
• The right to appoint a surrogate decision maker
should they become incapacitated.
• A second opinion.
• The opportunity to provide the organization with a
copy of any advance directives that may have been
executed (e.g., living will)

8. Patient Rights – V
• clarification of diet orders
• explanation of treatment plan
• organization’s hand-washing policy
• know procedures to prevent wrong site surgery
• surgical site has been marked
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9. Patient Rights – VI
• Explanation of Rights
• Know Hospital’s Adverse Events
• Know Caregivers
• Know 3rd Party Relationships
• Participate in Care Decisions
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10. Patient Rights – VII
• Informed Consent
• Emergency Care
• Have Special Needs Addressed
• Compassionate Care
• Timely Response to Care Needs
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11. Patient Rights – VIII
• Pain Management
– describe location & severity of pain
– discuss pain relief treatment options
– work with health care caregivers to develop
treatment plans
– discuss concerns about taking pain medication/s.
– alert caregivers of any allergies
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12. Patient Rights – IX
• Pain Management, cont.
– learn side effects associated with pain
management
– maintain record of effects of medications or
other pain relief measures
– participate in setting pain control goals
– provide caregivers with info about pain control
methods that have worked, or not worke

13. Patient Rights – X
• Refuse Treatment
– Right to Refuse Blood Transfusion
• Access to Medical Records
• Execute Advance Directives
• Designate a Decision-Maker
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14. Patient Rights – XI
• Privacy and Confidentiality
– Phlebotomist Discloses Patient Information at a
Public Tavern
– Disclosures Permitted Without Patient
Authorization
– Limitations on Disclosures
• Know Restrictions on Rights
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15. Patient Rights – XII
• Discharge
– Discharge Orders
– Release from Hospital Contraindicated
– Failure to Override a Physician’s Decision
• Right to Transfer
• Quality Care
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16. Patient Rights – XIII
• Respect
• Patient Advocacy
• Help Prevent Medical Errors
• 20 Tips to Help Prevent medical Errors
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17. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
Preventing Medical Errors -I
• Take responsibility for maximizing healthy habits
– such exercising
– not smoking
– eating a healthy diet
• Be involved in health care decisions
• Work collaboratively with providers
– developing & carrying out agreed-upon treatment
plans
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18. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
Preventing Medical Errors -II
• Disclose relevant information
• Clearly communicate wants & needs
• Use the health plan’s internal complaint & appeal
processes to address concerns that may arise
• Avoid knowingly spreading disease
• Recognize reality of risks & limits of the science of
medical care & the human fallibility of the health care
professional
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19. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
Preventing Medical Errors -III
• Be aware of a health care provider’s obligation to be
reasonably efficient & equitable in providing care to
other patients
• Become knowledgeable about health plan coverage &
health plan options
• Show respect for other patients & health worker
• Make effort to meet financial obligations
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20. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
Preventing Medical Errors -IV
• Abide by administrative & operational procedures of
health plans, healthcare providers, & government
health benefit programs
• Report wrongdoing & fraud

21. Patient Responsibilities – I
• Recognize effect of lifestyle on one’s health
• Maintain a record of medications & their effects
• Keep appointments
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22. Patient Responsibilities – II
• Provide full disclosure of all information relevant to
one’s medical condition
• Medical complaints
• symptoms
• past illnesses
• treatments
• surgical procedures
• hospitalizations
• medications
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23. Patient Responsibilities – III
• Report unexpected changes in condition to
caregivers
• Make it known whether or not you understand the
plan of care
• Ask questions to seek clarification of concerns
• Follow treatment plan agreed upon
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24. Patient Responsibilities – IV
• Refrain from self-administration of medications
• Accept responsibility for the consequences of
refusing treatment or not following instructions
• Be considerate of the rights of other
– control of noise
– smoking
– limitation on number of visitors
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25. Patient Responsibilities – V
• Be respectful of the property of others
• Speak up & ask questions
– “What is this medication for?”
– “What diet am I on?”
– “Since you are going to change my dressing,
did you wash your hands?”
• When in doubt, seek a second opinion.
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26. Patient Responsibilities – VI
• Participate in marking the site of a surgical or
other invasive procedure
• Make sure that the staff are aware of your
preferences for care, including who your decision
maker will be in the event that you become
incapacitated.
• Understand caregiver instructions
• Follow an organization’s rules & regulations
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27. REVIEW QUESTIONS - I
1. Describe the significance of the Patient Self-
Determination Act.
2. Describe the rights of patients as reviewed in this
chapter.
3. Describe the responsibilities of patients as
reviewed in this chapter.
4. Should a competent person have a right to refuse
treatment?
5. Why do you think a patient’s responsibilities are as
important as his or her rights?
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28. REVIEW QUESTIONS - II
6. Should a hospital be able to assert whatever
interest the state itself may have in seeking to compel
an unwilling patient to undergo a routine, lifesaving
medical procedure? Explain.
7. Discuss the importance of the patient’s
responsibility to communicate to the staff any
symptoms he or she is experiencing.
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