Your Patient Rights
Welcome to Caring Therapy Services. We are dedicated to respecting our patients’ dignity and pride.
This document outlines your rights and responsibilities as a patient. It is an essential part of your health care plan. If you have any questions, please contact the Practice/Clinic leadership.
We are committed to providing you with the following rights. In compliance with applicable Federal civil rights laws, we ensure the delivery of high-quality health care to every patient without regard to:
age, gender, disability, race, color, ancestry, citizenship, religion, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, health condition, marital status, veteran status, payment source or ability, or any other basis prohibited by Federal, state, or local law.
Considerate and Respectful Care
- Receive fair, high-quality, safe, and professional care.
- Be treated with consideration, respect, and recognition of individuality, regardless of color, race, religion, or creed.
- Experience privacy during treatment and enjoy a safe environment.
- Request the presence of a person of the same sex for any part of an exam or procedure performed by someone of the opposite sex, except in emergencies.
- Not be undressed longer than necessary for exams, tests, or procedures.
- Have private and discreet consultations, exams, and care. See our Notice of Privacy Practices (NOPP) for a full list of privacy and security rights regarding health information and medical records.
- Wear appropriate personal clothing and religious or symbolic items that do not interfere with treatment or diagnostic procedures.
Health Status and Care
- Be informed about your health status in understandable terms and language for you, your family, and caregivers.
- Participate actively in your care and treatment plan decisions.
- Know and understand:
- the names, roles, and qualifications of your healthcare providers.
- your follow-up care instructions.
- the risks, benefits, and side effects of medications and treatment procedures.
- any innovative or experimental treatments offered.
- alternative treatment options available to you.
- details of procedures and provide informed consent before they begin.
- the assessment and management of your pain.
- When recommended by the Practice, understand the role of other healthcare institutions in your care and consent to or refuse their involvement.
- Seek assistance from the doctor and other healthcare professionals for follow-up care.
- Request a change of providers or seek a second opinion, including consulting specialists at your own expense.
Decision Making and Notification
- Choose a person to be your healthcare representative or decision-maker.
- Exclude individuals from participating in your care or decision-making as you wish.
- Request, but not demand, services deemed unnecessary or inappropriate by the Practice.
- Refuse treatment.
- Be included in experimental research only with your written consent.
- Refuse participation in experimental research, including new drug and medical device investigations.
- Receive the information necessary to approve a treatment or procedure.
- Provide consent for a procedure or treatment.
Access to Services
- Receive free services such as translation, interpretation, or other aids to help you communicate effectively with the Practice (e.g., qualified interpreters, written information in other formats or languages).
- Bring a service animal, except where prohibited by Practice policy.
- Access our facility buildings and grounds in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA policy is available upon request.
- Receive prompt and reasonable responses to questions and service requests.
- If you require any of these services, contact the Practice management team at 312-555-5309.
Ethical Decision-Making
Engage in discussions with your doctor about:
- conflict resolution
- withholding resuscitative services
- foregoing or withdrawing life-sustaining care
- participation in investigational studies or clinical trials
Understand that if your healthcare provider determines that your refusal to accept treatment prevents you from receiving proper care (according to its ethical and professional standards), the relationship may be terminated.
Payment and Administrative Rights
- Review your healthcare bill, regardless of your ability to pay or the payment source.
- Receive information about available financial resources.
- If uninsured, receive a reasonable estimate of charges for planned non-emergency medical services and information on any discount or charity policies before the services are provided.
- Know if the Practice and its providers accept Medicare.
- Understand Medicare charges for services and treatment provided.
- Request a reasonable estimate of healthcare charges before treatment with an explanation.
- Be free from any requirement to purchase drugs or rent or purchase medical supplies or equipment from any particular source.
Protective Services
- Receive available protective and advocacy services.
- Receive care and treatment for mental illness or developmental disabilities as offered by state law.
- Retain all legal and civil rights as a citizen.
- Expect timely emergency procedures within the Practice’s scope without unnecessary delay.
- Receive necessary information to approve a treatment or procedure.
- Be informed of the Practice’s policies and procedures for initiating, reviewing, and resolving patient complaints, including contact information for filing complaints.
- Discuss complaints, issues, or problems with your doctor or the Practice management team/Equity Compliance Coordinator at 312-555-5309.
- File a grievance in person, by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, the Equity Compliance Coordinator is available to assist you.
- File complaints with the Ethics Line at 1-800-994-6610, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights, or other relevant authorities regarding patient abuse, neglect, misuse of property, unresolved complaints, and patient safety and quality concerns.
- Receive a fair review of alleged patient rights violations.
For contact information for the Department of Health and Human Services or Office of Civil Rights, visit:
Your Patient Responsibilities
As an essential and active member of your care team, you have certain responsibilities to yourself and those providing your care.
To foster shared trust and respect, we ask you to:
- Provide true and complete information about:
- Your health status
- Medical history
- Hospitalizations
- Medications
- Other relevant health matters
- Contact information, family members, and caregivers
- Inform us about:
- Any risks related to your care
- Changes in your health, illness, or injury
- Safety concerns
- Any violations of your patient rights
- Whether you understand your care plan and our expectations
- Any questions or need for clarification regarding your care plan
- Follow your care plan and instructions provided by your healthcare team.
- Keep your appointments and notify us at least 24 hours in advance if you need to reschedule.
- Take responsibility for your actions if you refuse care or do not follow your doctor’s orders.
- Pay your healthcare bills in a timely manner.
- Adhere to Practice procedures, rules, and regulations.
- Be considerate of the rights of other patients and our staff.
- Show respect for yourself and our staff.
- Help staff assess your pain, discuss and receive prompt relief, and develop a pain management plan.
- Treat your doctor and healthcare staff with respect and consideration.
- Acknowledge that inappropriate language or behavior will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal.
- Understand that our relationship may be terminated if you do not follow your doctor’s orders or care plan.
