Patient's Rights

ENDOSCOPY OF PLANO
1600 COIT RD, STE 401A
PLANO, TX 75075
972-612-9771

Patient’s Rights

Patients have the right to:

• Considerate and respectful care.
• Obtain from his physician complete current information concerning his diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in terms the patient can be reasonable expected to understand. When it is not advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be made available to an appropriate person on his behalf. He has the right to know, by name, the physician responsible for coordinating his care.
• To receive from his physician information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and/or treatment. Except in emergencies, much information for informed consent should include but not necessarily be limited to the specific procedure and/or treatment, the medically significant risks involved, and the probable duration of the incapacitation. Where medically significant alternatives for care or treatment exist, or when the patient requests information concerning medical alternatives, the patient has the right to such information. The patient has the right to know the name of the person responsible for the procedures and/or treatment.
• Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of his action.
• Every consideration of his privacy concerning his own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and his own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. Those not directly involved in his care must have the permission of the patient to be present.
• Expect that all communications and records pertaining to his care could be treated as confidential.
• Expect that within its capacity a clinic must make reasonable response to the request of a patient for services. The clinic must provide evaluation, service and/or referral as indicated by the urgency of the case. When medically permissible a patient may be transferred to another facility only after he has received complete information and explanation concerning the needs for and alternatives to such a transfer. The institution to which the patient is to be transferred must first have accepted the patient for transfer.
• Obtain information as to any relationship to his clinic to other healthcare and education institutions in so far as his care is concerned. The patient has the right to obtain information to the existence of any professional relationships among any individuals, by names, which are treating him.
• Be advised if the clinic proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting his care or treatment. The patient has the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.
• Expect reasonable continuity of care. He has the right to know in advance what appointment times and physicians are available and where. The patient has the right to expect that the clinic will provide a mechanism whereby he is informed by his physician or delegate of the physician of the patient’s continuing health care requirements following discharge.
• Examine and receive an explanation of his bill regardless of source of payment.
• Know what clinic rules and regulations apply to his conduct as a patient.
• To change primary and specialty care physicians if other qualified physicians are available.

The patient and his family have the right to present complaints concerning the quality of care, either verbally or in writing, to the clinic director/manager, nursing staff, medical staff or administration. Presentation of a complaint will not service to compromise a patient’s future care.

The patient has the right to send a complaint to the Texas Department of Health should he feel the care received was unsatisfactory:

Texas Department of Health Services, Facility Licensing Group, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756-3199, phone 1-888-963-7111, or Fax: 512-834-6653. http://www.dshs.state.tx.us.

Patient’s Responsibilities

• To provide the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, perceived risks in your care, and other matters related to your health.
• To report unexpected changes in your condition to the responsible practitioner.
• To ask your doctor/nurse what to expect regarding pain and pain relief when pain first begins, to help us measure your pain, and to tell us if your pain is not relieved.
• To follow the treatment plan developed with your physician and other caregivers and express any concerns you have about your ability to follow that plan.
• To be responsible for your actions and the medical consequences if care, treatment, or services are refused.
• To ask questions and request additional information/clarification when you do not understand your care, treatment, services, or what is expected of you.
• To follow facility rules and regulations.
• To consider the rights of other patients and personnel of the clinic, and assisting in the control of noise, smoking, and the number of visitors.
• To respect facility property and the property of others.
• To participate in discharge planning activities necessary to ensure you have adequate knowledge and support services necessary to provide you with a safe environment upon discharge from the clinic.
• For fulfilling the financial obligations for your health care.
• To provide the facility with a copy of your advance directive, if one exists.

No catalog or rights can guarantee for the patient the kind of treatment he has the right to expect. A health institution has many functions to perform, including the prevention and treatment of disease, the education of both health professionals and patient, and the conduct of clinical research. All these activities must be conducted with an overriding concern for the patient and above all, the recognition of his dignity as a human being. Success in achieving this recognition assures success in the defense of the rights of patients.