In order to take an active role in your healthcare, it’s important to know your patient rights and responsibilities.
Knowing those rights and responsibilities can help you make better decisions about your care.
Family and friends involved in your care can make a real difference as loved ones can serve as advocates to ensure you’re getting the best treatment and services available.
The following guidelines have been drawn up by the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority so that both patients and healthcare providers know what is expected.
Patient Rights
As a patient, you have the right to:
- Be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of individual dignity and protection of privacy.
- A prompt and reasonable response to questions/requests.
- Know who is providing medical services and who is responsible for your care.
- Know what support services are available, including whether an interpreter is available if you don’t speak English.
- Know what rules and regulations apply to your conduct.
- Receive information concerning diagnosis, planned course of treatment, except as otherwise provided by law.
- Receive, upon request, information and counseling on the availability of known financial resources for your care.
- Receive a copy, upon request, of a reasonably clear and understandable itemized bill, and to have the charges explained.
- Receive an estimate of charges for medical care, prior to treatment.
- Impartial access to medical treatment or accommodation, regardless of race, national origin, religion, physical handicaps or sources of payment.
- Treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment.
- Know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental research, and consent and or refuse to participate in experimental research.
- Personal and informational privacy, within the law.
- Expect reasonable safety in hospital practices and environment.
- Reasonable, informed participation in decisions about your health care.
- Report a complaint about the quality of care.
- Consult with a specialist, at your request and expense.
- Receive a complete explanation of the need for a transfer – or the alternatives – to another facility or organization before being transferred.
Patient Responsibilities
As a patient, you have responsibility to:
- Provide accurate and complete information about present symptoms, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to your health.
- Report unexpected changes in your condition to your doctor or nurse.
- Ask questions if you do not understand your treatment or what is expected of you.
- Follow the treatment plan recommended by your health care provider.
- Keep appointments, and when unable to do so for any reason, notify the clinic or hospital.
- Provide accurate insurance and payment information to the hospital at the time of registration.
- Ensure that the financial obligations of your health care treatments are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
- Follow hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
- Be considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel, and assist in the control of noise and the number of visitors.
- Be respectful of the property of other patients and the hospital.
Have An Advocate
Family and friends involved in your care can make a real difference as loved ones can serve as advocates to ensure you’re getting the best treatment and services available.
Further Information
If you have any questions or concerns about your rights and responsibilities please call the Health Services Authority’s patient services representative on (345) 244-2820.
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