Patient Rights & Responsibilities

You can download a copy of MCOR's Patient Rights and Responsibilities (in .pdf form) by clicking here. The document is reprinted below.

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

The Medical Center at Ocean Reef, Inc.
50 Barracuda Lane
Key Largo, Florida 33037
305-367-2600
305-367-4573

 

The Medical Center at Ocean Reef, Inc., respects the basic human rights and personal dignity of each patient.  As a patient, you have the right and responsibility to be informed and participate in decisions involving your care and treatment.  When you are either incapacitated, incompetent or a minor, your rights can be exercised by a legally authorized person.  Florida law requires that your physician or health care medical center recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care and that you respect the physician or health care medical center’s right to expect a certain behavior on your part.  You may request a copy of the full text of this law from your physician or health care medical center.  A summary of your rights and responsibilities is as follows:


SUMMARY OF THE FLORIDA PATIENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

State and Federal law requires that your health care provider or health care facility recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care and that you respect the health care provider’s or health care facility's right to expect certain behavior on the part of patients. You may request a copy of the full text of this law from your health care provider or health care facility. A summary of your rights and responsibilities follows:

PATIENT RIGHTS 
  • A patient has the right to be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of his or her individual dignity, and with protection of his or her need for privacy.
  • A patient has the right to a prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests.
  • A patient has the right to know the name, function, and qualifications of each health care provider who is providing medical services to the patient. A patient may request such information from his or her responsible provider or the health care facility in which he or she is receiving medical services.
  • A patient has the right to know what patient support services are available, including language interpreter services if he or she does not speak English.
  • A patient has the right to know what rules and regulations apply to his or her conduct.
  • A patient has the right to obtain from his/her healthcare provider complete and current information concerning, his/her diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks, treatment, and prognosis in terms the patient can be reasonably expected to understand. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be made available to an appropriate person on his/her behalf.
  • A patient has the right to be informed of their right to change their health care provider(s) if other qualified providers are available.
  • A patient has the right to access any mode of treatment that is, in his or her own judgment and the judgment of his or her health care provider, in the best interests of the patient, including alternative health care treatments, in accordance with the provisions of Florida Statute 456.41.
  • A patient’s rights are exercised by the person appointed under law to act on the patient’s behalf, if the patient is adjudged incompetent under applicable health and safety laws by a court of proper jurisdiction. If a court has not adjudged a patient incompetent, any legal representative or surrogate designated by the patient in accordance with the law may exercise the patient’s rights to the extent allowed by law.
  • A patient has the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of refusal or noncompliance with prescribed therapy.
  • A patient has the right to be given, upon request, full information and necessary counseling on the availability of known financial resources for his or her care.
  • A patient who is eligible for Medicare has the right to know, upon request and in advance of treatment, whether the health care provider or health care facility accepts the Medicare assignment rate.
  • A patient has the right to receive, upon request, prior to treatment, a reasonable estimate of charges for medical care.
  • A patient has the right to receive a copy of a reasonably clear and understandable, itemized bill and, upon request, to have the charges explained regardless of the source of payment.
  • A patient has the right to expect confidential treatment for disclosures of records.
  • A patient has the right to be given the opportunity to approve or refuse the release of such information, except when release is required by law.
  • A patient has the right to receive impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations regardless of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, handicap, national origin, sponsor or source of payment.
  • A patient has the right to receive impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations free from all forms of abuse, harassment or any act of discrimination or reprisal.
  • A patient has the right to treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment.
  • A patient has the right to know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental research and to give his or her consent or refusal to participate in such experimental research.
  • A patient has the right to express complaints/grievances to a health care provider, a health care facility, an accrediting body or the appropriate state licensing agency regarding alleged violations of patients' rights. A patient has the right to know the health care provider's or health care facility's procedures for expressing a complaint/grievance.
  • A patient has the right to express complaints/grievances related to the quality of care received and that presentation of complaints/grievances, in itself, will not serve to compromise a patient’s future access to care.
  • A patient has the right to expect to be given the opportunity to participate in decisions involving his/her health care, unless contraindicated by concerns for the patient’s health.
  • A patient has the right to be informed as to the services available from the organization and the provisions for after hours and emergency care.
  • A patient has the right to participate in decisions regarding pain and symptom management and acknowledgement of the psychosocial and spiritual needs and that of their family regarding any terminal illness.
  • A patient has the right to bring any person of his or her choosing to the patient accessible areas of the healthcare facility or provider’s office to accompany the patient while the patient is receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment or is consulting with his or her health care provider, unless doing so would risk the safety and health of the patient, other patients, or staff of the facility or office or cannot be reasonably accommodated by the facility or provider.
PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

 

  • A patient is responsible for providing to the health care provider, to the best of his or her knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to his or her health.
  • A patient is responsible for reporting unexpected changes in his or her condition to the health care provider.
  • A patient is responsible to inform his/her provider about any living will, medical power of attorney, or other advance directive that could affect his/her care.
  • A patient is responsible to provide a responsible adult to transport him/her from the facility and remain with him/her for twenty-four (24) hours, if required by his/her provider, as appropriate.
  • A patient is responsible for reporting to the health care provider whether he or she comprehends a contemplated course of action and what is expected of him or her.
  • A patient is responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by the health care provider.
  • A patient is responsible for keeping appointments and, when he or she is unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the health care provider or health care facility.
  • A patient is responsible for his or her actions if he or she refuses treatment or does not follow the health care provider's instructions.
  • A patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his or her health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
  • A patient is responsible to accept personal financial responsibility for any charges not covered by his/her insurance.
  • A patient is responsible for following health care facility rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
  • A patient is responsible to be respectful of the rights of other patients and health care personnel and to be respectful of the property of other persons and of the facility.

WHERE TO FILE COMPLAINTS

 

Medicare Ombudsman
http://www.medicare.gov/claims-and-appeals/medicare-rights/medicare-rights-overview.html
or
Call 1-800 MEDICARE
By mail: 7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850

 

If you have a complaint against a health care facility call the Consumer Assistance Unit at: 1-888-419-3456 (Press # 1) or write to the address listed below:

 

AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
2727 MAHAN DRIVE
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32308
or
AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
CONSUMER ASSISTANCE UNIT
DOH/MQA-CSU
4052 BALD CYPRESS WAY, BIN C-75
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-3275

 

If you have a complaint against a health care professional and want to receive a complaint form, call the Consumer Services Unit at 1 850-245-4339 or write to the address below:

DIVISION OF MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE
CONSUMER SERVICES UNIT
4052 BALD CYPRESS WAY, BIN C-75
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-3275
www.FLHealthsource.com

 

If you have a complaint against a hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you may contact Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) at 1-847-853-6060 or write to the address listed below:

AAAHC INSTITUTE FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
5250 OLD ORCHARD ROAD, SUITE 250
SKOKIE, ILLINOIS 60077

 

If you have a complaint against a laboratory’s operation you may contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Central Office, Division of Laboratory Services (CLIA), in Baltimore, Maryland at (410) 786-3531 locally or at (877) 267-2323 (toll free) extension 63531.

If you have a civil rights complaint against a health care provider, you may submit a written complaint to the US Department of Health and Human Services at:

CENTRALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS
US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
200 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE SW
ROOM 509F, HHH BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC 20201
https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/complaint-process/index.html