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Patient’s Bill of Rights & Responsibilities

Section 381.026, Florida Statutes
2022/2023


Florida law requires that your healthcare provider and/or healthcare facility recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care and that you respect the healthcare provider’s or healthcare facility’s right to expect certain behavior on the part of its patients.

Patients Have The Right To

  • … be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of their individual dignity, and with protection of his/her need for privacy.
  • … a prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests.
  • … know who is providing medical services and who is responsible for their care.
  • … know what patient support services are available, including interpreter availability.
  • … bring any person of their choosing to the patient-accessible areas of the office to accompany the patient while they are receiving treatment or is in consultation, unless doing so would risk the safety or health of the patient, other patients, or staff or cannot be reasonably accommodated.
  • … know rules/regulations applying to their conduct.
  • … be given information about diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis.
  • … refuse any treatment, except as otherwise provided by law.
  • … be given, upon request, full information, and necessary counseling on the availability of known financial resources for their care.
  • … upon request, prior to treatment, an estimate of charges for medical care.
  • … receive a copy of a reasonably understandable, bill and, upon request, to have the charges explained.
  • … impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations, regardless of race, national origin, religion, handicap, or source of payment.
  • … treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment.
  • … know if medical treatment is for purpose of experimental research and to give his or her consent or refusal to participate in the research.
  • … to express grievances regarding any violation of his or her rights, as stated in Florida law, through the grievance procedure of the healthcare office which served them and to the state licensing agency.
  • … know, upon request and in advance of treatment, whether the healthcare provider the Medicare assignment rate, for Medicare-eligible patients.

Patients Are Responsible For

  • … providing to the provider, the best of their knowledge, accurate information about present complaints, past illness, hospitalizations, medications, and the other health matters.
  • … reporting unexpected changes in their condition.
  • … reporting whether they comprehend a contemplated course of action and what is expected of them.
  • … following the treatment plan recommended.
  • … keeping appointments and, when they are unable to do so, for notifying the office.
  • … their actions if they refuse treatment or does not follow the healthcare provider’s instructions.
  • … assuring that the financial obligations of their healthcare are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
  • … following office rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0381/Sections/0381.026.html
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V 7.7.23