Patient's Rights and Responsibilities

Patients have the right to:

• Considerate and respectful care.
• Receive current and understandable information concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis from doctors and other caregivers.
• Make decisions about their plans of care and courses of treatment. The patient may refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy, and have the right to be informed of medical consequences.
• Receive necessary information from their doctors to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment.
• Advance Directives concerning treatment and can expect that the hospital will honor those directives to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy.
• Have their pain believed, assessed and managed.
• Every consideration of privacy concerning medical care in a safe setting.
• Expect that all communications and records pertaining to their care will be treated as confidential, except in cases of suspected abuse or public health hazards when reporting is required by law.
• Access their own medical records, according to hospital policy, except when restricted by law.
• Expect the hospital to make reasonable responses to their requests for appropriate and medically indicated care.
• Ask about and to be informed of business relationships that may influence treatment and care.
• Consent to or decline to participate in research studies or human experimentation affecting care and treatment and to have those studies fully explained prior to consent.
• Expect reasonable continuity of care and to be informed of available options when hospital care is no longer appropriate.
• Expect that your healthcare information will be handled in a manner consistent with Akron General's privacy practices as set forth in the Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Know what hospital rules and regulations apply to patient conduct.
• Request a consult to the Ethics Committee and to participate in discussions of ethical issues regarding patient care.
• Access protective services.
• Receive explanation of bills, regardless of sources of payment, and information on financial assistance.

Patients who believe their rights have been violated can discuss their concerns with their attending doctors, registered nurses or patient representatives.

As a patient at Akron General Medical Center, we ask for your cooperation with the following:

• Provide information about past illness, hospitalization, medications and other matters related to health status.
• Inform care providers whether explanation of diagnosis, treatment and care options have been understood.
• Follow the recommendations and advice prescribed by healthcare providers and to provide information about unexpected complications that arise.
• Accept the outcomes if they do not follow the care, service or treatment plan.
• Provide complete and accurate information about insurance and their ability to meet any self-pay balance.
• Be considerate and to respect the rights and property of the other patients, visitors and healthcare staff.