Governmental Position on Patient's Rights

PATIENT RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.        The right to be treated with respect, consideration and dignity without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, political belief, or handicap.

2.        The right to request and receive information concerning your diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, in easily understandable terms. This includes your right to review your medical record and/or receive a copy of it.

3.        The right to receive enough information to give informed consent before any procedure is performed and when possible, to participate in all decisions affecting your health.

4.        The right to be informed regarding your treating professional’s qualifications, record keeping, goals, techniques to be used, limitations of treatment, and to receive a response to any other questions you may have. The right to expect your health care provider to adhere to all ethical standards of his/her profession.

5.        The right to refuse any medical or counseling services and to request and receive information about the potential risks and benefits associated with not receiving care.

6.        The right to privacy regarding all aspects of your treatment.

7.        The right to have your personal health information held in confidence as protected by state and federal law. This information cannot be shared with anyone outside UCO Student Health Center and UCO Student Counseling Center without your written permission or under circumstances prescribed by law, such as a life threatening situation; court order; reporting of certain communicable diseases and actual or potential abuse of vulnerable individuals; or providing confidential information to authorized officials conducting security investigations under the Patriot Act (which prohibits us from notifying you when a release occurs). Student workers handling your record are trained in strict confidentiality. A violation is cause for immediate dismissal.

8.        The right to receive and review a current copy of our NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES. It can be found on the UCO web site.

9.        The right to reasonable response to your request for services, to offer suggestions for improving services, to file a grievance, information on procedures for filing a grievance and how to make external appeals.

10.     The right to quality health care, health maintenance, and health education with an emphasis on prevention. Upon request, we can provide information regarding:

1. Diagnostic and clinical services on-site, our hours, fees, and special preventive and therapeutic services for certain high risk groups.
2. Contact information for health care providers when UCO is closed.
3. Our policy on treatment of un-emancipated minors.
4. Health education programs.
5. Access to in-patient care, dental services, and consultation by specialists.

11.     The right to expect that when we are not open, you will have information on how to access urgent or emergency care.

12.     The right to be informed of continuing health care needs and the right to expect reasonable continuity of care when referrals to other agencies or services are made. In addition, you have a right to know about our relationships with other institutions and services as they affect your care.

13.     The right to expect UCO to inform you of any plans to engage in research affecting your care, and to give you the right to refuse to participate.

14.     The right to expect UCO to advocate control of environmental problems or factors affecting your health, (e.g. nutrition, sanitation, noise, crowding, safety, stress, etc.)

15.     The responsibility to take an active role in your own health care by:

1. Providing us information regarding your medical history, past treatments, and personal beliefs and preferences, as they pertain to your treatment.
2. Following established public health practices.
3. Respecting the rights of others to an environment in which physical, emotional and social health hazards are minimized.
4. Canceling appointments, allowing us to schedule this time with another student needing services.

16.     The right to change health care providers if other qualified health care providers are available.

17.     UCO provides both health and counseling services. All providers involved in your care have full and ready access to your health or counseling charts for purpose of coordinating your care. You have a right to limit sharing of information between providers. If you have concerns, discuss with your provider.