Rights & Responsibilities

As a patient at Hamilton Community Health Network, you have the following rights and responsibilities:

Patient Rights

  • You have a right to considerate and respectful care.
  • You have the right to high quality health care from clinicians who are experienced and trained to meet your medical needs.
  • You have the right to a reasonable response to your requests for treatment.
  • You have a right to confidential treatment.
  • You have a right to full information about your medical condition.
  • You have the right to information compiled in your medical record.
  • You have the right, and are encouraged, to participate in decisions about your treatment.
  • You have a right to care that respects your social, religious and cultural values.
  • You have the right to accept or refuse treatment.
  • You have the right to be informed of any research that could affect your care.
  • You have the right to know the professional experience and certification of our medical providers, our accreditation status and other measures of quality.
  • You have a right to affordable health care and information about our operation.
  • You have a right to influence the operation of Hamilton Community Health Network health centers through a board of directors who represent the communities we serve.
  • You have the right to information about the health plans used by Hamilton Community Health Network.
  • You have the right to be informed and to consent in writing to diagnostic or surgical procedures performed by Hamilton Community Health Network health centers medical staff.
  • You have the right to be informed of advance directives, receive assistance with their formulation and have them implemented properly at Hamilton Community Health Network health centers.
  • You have the right to receive appropriate, clinically approved methods to alleviate pain when those methods are available, necessary and meet your health needs.
  • You have the right to choose a health plan that offers a full range of health care services.
  • You have a right to a fair and efficient process for resolving differences with Hamilton Community Health Network health centers ant to be informed of the grievance procedures used by health plans in which we participate.
  • Your guardian, next of kin, or legally authorized responsible person can exercise your rights for you if you are unable to participate.

Patient Responsibilities

  • Involvement in their health care decisions;
  • Work collaboratively with health care providers in developing and carrying out agreed-upon treatment plans;
  • Clearly communicate health care needs;
  • Disclose requested financial information and pay for services per Hamilton Community Health Network policies;
  • Utilize Hamilton Community Health Networks’ internal patient complaint and appeal process to address care and/or billing concerns;
  • Avoid knowingly spreading disease;
  • Recognize the risks and limits contained within the science of medicine;
  • Be aware of the obligation of health care providers to provide reasonably efficient, equitable, and quality care to our community;
  • Respect towards other patients and the community while accessing health care services at Hamilton Community Health Network;
  • Respect towards health care workers and support staff of Hamilton Community Health Network;
  • Abide by the administrative and operational policies of health plans, health care providers and government health benefit programs;
  • Report wrongdoing and fraud to appropriate personnel or legal authorities.