What Are Your Rights as a Medical Patient?

Full Video Transcript

We all know it’s important to seek medical care when we’re sick or injured, but it can be intimidating to give up control of your body to a medical professional. Fortunately, you have rights as a patient that do not require you to give up control. Those rights include the right to informed consent. A medical procedure cannot be performed on you until you have all the information needed to make a decision about care, and you have provided your consent. It’s the doctor’s job to advise you about your medical options. It’s your responsibility to decide whether or not to follow the doctor’s advice. In addition to the right to make an informed medical decision, you have the right to get a copy of your medical records, and you have the right to keep your medical records private. Many states, hospitals, and other health care institutions provide patients with additional rights. These are usually referred to as a “patient’s bill of rights,” and can include such things as the right to respect and the right to file complaints, for example. All of your patient’s rights are important, so never hesitate to exercise them.