You have the right to safe, high-quality, medical care, without discrimination, that is compassionate and respects personal dignity, values, and beliefs.

You have the right to participate in and make decisions about your care and pain management, including refusing care to the extent permitted by law. Your care provider (such as a doctor or nurse) will explain the medical consequences of refusing recommended treatment.

You have the right to have your illness, treatment, pain, alternatives, and outcomes be explained in a manner you can understand. You have the right to interpretation services if needed.

You have the right to know the name and role of your care providers. At your request, you have a right to a second opinion.

You have the right to request that a family member, friend, and/or physician be notified that you are under the care of this facility.

You have the right to receive the visitors whom you designate, including, but not limited to, your spouse, a domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. You also have the right to withdraw or deny their consent to visitation at any time. In the event you are unable to designate who can visit, the person you have designated as your “support person” can make that designation. Hospital visitation will not be limited or denied based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. However, it may become clinically or otherwise reasonably necessary for a patient’s care, safety or well-being to impose restrictions on visitation. Reasons to limit visitation, if deemed necessary, may include but are not limited to:

• Patient is undergoing care interventions with which visitation may interfere
• Infection control issues
• Visitation may interfere with the care of other patients
• Disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior by a visitor of any kind
• Patient or others in room need for privacy
• Need for limitation on the number of visitors in particular space or during specific time period
• Minimum age requirements for child visitors
• Visitation limitation protocols for substance abuse or mental health treatment of patient

You have the right to be informed about transfers to another facility or organization and be provided complete explanation including alternatives to a transfer.

You have the right to receive information about continuing your health care at the end of your visit.

You have the right to know the policies that affect your care and treatment.

You have the right to participate in research or decline to participate in research. You may decline at any time without compromising your access to care, treatment, and services.

You have the right to private and confidential treatments, communications, and medical records to the extent permitted by law.

You have the right to receive information concerning your advance directives (living will, health care power of attorney, or mental health advance directives), and to have your advance directives respected to the extent permitted by law.

You have the right to access your medical records in a reasonable timeframe, to the extent permitted by law.

You have the right to be informed of charges and receive counseling on the availability of known financial resources for health care.

You have the right to be free from restraints that are not medically required or are used inappropriately.

You have the right to access advocacy or protective service agencies and a right to be free from abuse.

You have the right to have your compliments, concerns, and complaints addressed. Should you or your designated guardian, advocate, support person, or representative feel at any time that your rights as a patient have been violated or you wish to share a compliment, concern, or complaint, please call the number below at the facility where you are a patient. Sharing your concerns and complaints will not compromise your access to care, treatment, and services.

• Duke University Hospital: 919-681-2020
• Duke Raleigh Hospital: 919-954-3292
• Durham Regional Hospital: 919-470-4747
• Private Diagnostic Clinic: 919-684-6298
• Duke Primary Care: 919-684-6298
• Duke Home Care and Hospice: 919-620-3853
• James E. Davis Ambulatory Surgical Center: 919-470-1000
• NC Department of Health Service Regulation: 919-855-4500
• Mental Health Branch: 919-855-3795
• 2711 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699
• The Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring: 800-994-6610, jointcommission.org

Patient Responsibilities

You are responsible for providing as much information as possible about your health, medical history, and insurance benefits.

You are responsible for asking the care provider for clarification when you do not understand medical words or instructions about your plan of care.

You are responsible for following your plan of care. If you are unable/unwilling to follow the plan to care, you are responsible for telling your care provider. Your care provider will explain the medical consequences of not following the recommended treatment. You are responsible for the outcomes of not following your care plan.

You are responsible for following the facility’s rules and regulations.

You are responsible for acting in a manner that is respectful of other patients, staff, and facility property.

You are responsible for meeting your financial obligation to the facility.

PR501 Rev 3/12