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Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Patient Rights

  1. Patients have the right to be treated and cared for with dignity and respect.
  2. Patients have the right to reasonable access to care and treatment and/or accommodations that are available or medically advisable regardless of one’s race, color, ethnicity, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), creed, culture, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, age, status as a disabled veteran, having an Advance Directive or ability to pay for care (socioeconomic status). Discrimination on the basis of any of the above is prohibited.
  3. Patients have the right to care that is considerate and respectful of their cultural and personal values and beliefs, as well as their psychosocial values and preferences.
  4. Patients have the right to express their values and beliefs and to exercise spiritual and cultural beliefs that do not interfere with the delivery of patient care and the well‐being of others or their planned course of treatment.
  5. Patients have the right to reasonable access to an interpreter when they do not speak or understand the English language.
  6. Patients have the right to a reasonably safe and secure environment.
  7. Patients have the right to be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation or harassment.
  8. Patients have the right to be free from restraint or seclusion, of any form, imposed as a means or coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation. Restraint or seclusion may only be imposed to ensure the immediate physical safety of the patient, a staff member or others, and must be discontinued at the earliest possible time.
  9. Patients, the family, including a registered domestic partner and/or their legally authorized surrogate decision‐maker(s) have the right, in collaboration with their doctor to be informed and involved in making decisions about their health care, including donating organs and tissues, resolving problems with care, the right to accept medical care or to refuse treatment to the extent of the law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal.
  10. Patients have the right to be informed of outcomes of care, treatment and services, including unanticipated outcomes.
  11. Patients have the right to access their own health information, request amendment to it, and receive an accounting of disclosures about it, as permitted under applicable law.
  12. Patients have the right to make complaints if they feel that their health information has been used or disclosed inappropriately.
  13. Patients have the right to have a family member, including a registered domestic partner, surrogate decision-maker and their own physician (if requested) notified promptly of their admission to the hospital.
  14. Patients have the right to formulate advance directives about end‐of‐life decisions and have the hospital respect and follow those directives to the extent allowable by hospital policy, state, and federal law.
  15. Patients have the right to appoint a surrogate to make health‐care decisions on their behalf to the extent of the law.
  16. Patients have the right to be fully informed of their health care needs and the alternatives for care when a hospital cannot provide the care a patient requests. If it is necessary and medically advisable, the patient will be transferred to an appropriate and acceptable facility.
  17. Patients have the right to effective pain management. Pain will be assessed and managed as deemed medically appropriate.
  18. Patients have the right to consideration for their personal privacy and confidentiality of information. Patients may request that communication about their health information be made available at alternative locations; request that their PHI not be shared with a previous provider; request that certain disclosures of their health information be restricted; or request to restrict disclosure of PHI about the patient to a health plan if the patient has self-paid in full prior to the service.
  19. Patients have the right to know the name of the doctor and other practitioners who have primary responsibility for their care, and to know the identity and professional status of individuals responsible for authorizing and performing procedures and care.
  20. Patients have the right to have reasonable access to people outside the Medical Center by means of visitors, and by verbal and written communication. Each patient has the right, subject to his or her consent, to receive the visitors whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to, a spouse, domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend, and has the right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time. Such access is permitted so long as it does not interfere with the provision of patient care services and a reasonably safe and secure environment. Any restrictions on communication are fully explained to the patient and/or family. Visitation privileges are not restricted, limited, or denied on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or age. All visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences.
  21. Patients have the right not to participate in investigative studies and they will be informed of alternative care options. A patient’s access to care shall not be hindered should they decline to participate in investigative studies.
  22. Patients have the right to participate in discussion of ethical questions and care concerns that arise in the course of their care. Patients or family members may request an ethics consultation regarding issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative services, foregoing or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, and participation in investigational studies or clinical trials, and other ethical concerns.
  23. Patients have the right to have access to spiritual care.
  24. Patients have the right to have access to a written statement that articulates the rights and responsibilities of patients. The statement is available in several languages specific to the populations served. If the patient cannot read, has special communication needs, or if the statement is not available in their language, an interpreter will be available.
  25. Patients have the right to be protected from abuse and neglect and access protective services. Children or vulnerable adults who are unable to care for themselves have the right to protective intervention by the appropriate agencies to correct hazardous living conditions, abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
  26. Patients have the right to make complaints about their care and receive a timely response according to established policy. Patients can freely voice complaints and recommend changes without being subject to coercion, retribution, discrimination, or unreasonable interruption of care, treatment and services.
  27. Patients have the right to request and receive an itemized detailed explanation of their bill for services rendered.

Patient Responsibilities

  1. Patients have the responsibility to provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information, and to report any changes in their condition to their practitioner.
  2. Patients have the responsibility to participate in discussion about, and to ask questions about, their plan of care.
  3. Patients have the responsibility to inform the care team if they do not clearly understand a contemplated course of action and what is expected of them.
  4. Patients have the responsibility of notifying their health‐care providers when a cultural situation exists concerning the health‐care process.
  5. Patients are responsible for initiating and following through on recommended treatment plans. As active participants in their health care, patients or their caregivers are responsible for contacting their providers if they have questions or are unclear about the treatment plan or why those next steps are critical toward achieving positive health outcomes.
  6. Patients are responsible for their personal belongings. This includes, but is not limited to dentures, eyeglasses, crutches, wheelchairs, and personal items such as jewelry. UW Medicine is not responsible if these items are damaged or misplaced while here.
  7. Patients are prohibited from bringing illicit drugs, firearms, or other weapons into UW Medicine facilities. Patients may not use tobacco, alcohol, marijuana or vape products in UW Medicine facilities.
  8. Patients may not disturb other patients. Patients may not disrupt or interfere with care provided to other patients and the operations of UW Medicine.
  9. Patients may not conduct any illegal activities on the premises of UW Medicine.
  10. Patients may not verbally or physically assault staff, faculty, or providers.
  11. Patients are responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and UW Medicine. Threats, violence, disrespectful communication or harassment of other patients or of any UW Medicine staff member, for any reason, including because of an individual’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age or veteran or military status, or other aspect of difference will not be tolerated. This prohibition applies to the patient as well as their family members, representatives, and visitors. In addition, requests for changes of provider or other medical staff based on that individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity will not be honored. Requests for provider or medical staff changes based on gender will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only based on extenuating circumstances.
  12. Patients are responsible for informing the caregivers if they have special needs.
  13. Patients are responsible for being respectful of the property of other persons and UW Medicine.
  14. Patients are responsible for providing updated financial information and meeting any financial obligation to the hospital.
  15. Patients are responsible for reporting any complaints or concerns to a member of their healthcare team, who will then contact appropriate staff.

The content above reflects UW Medicine Patient Rights and Responsibilities (document U3931 V.2409).

Late Cancellation and No-Show Fees

If you do not contact us to cancel or reschedule, and you do not attend your appointment, you may be charged a $75 or $100 no-show fee. If you cancel without 24 hours’ notice, you may be charged a $50 late cancellation fee.