Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
Quality Medical Care and Treatment. You have the right to quality care and treatment consistent with available resources and generally accepted standards, including access to appropriate specialty care and to pain assessment and management.
Refuse Medical/Dental Care. You have the right to refuse care to the extent permitted by law and government regulations, and to be informed of the consequences of your refusal. You have the right to formulate an advanced directive and to have the Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) comply with that directive.
Respectful Treatment. You have the right to considerate care with recognition of personal dignity. You have the right to not be denied health care for discriminatory reasons based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and mental or physical disability. You have the responsibility to show respect for other patients and healthcare personnel.
Identity. You have the right to know, at all times, the identity, professional status, and credentials of healthcare personnel, as well as the healthcare provider primarily responsible for your care.
Compliance with and Contribution to Medical/Dental Care. You have the responsibility to become involved in specific healthcare decisions, working collaboratively with healthcare providers in developing and carrying out an agreed-upon treatment plan, disclosing relevant information and clearly communicating wants and needs. It is your responsibility to maximize health habits, such as exercising, not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding knowingly spreading disease. Appointments should be kept and on time; the MTF or Dental Treatment Facility (DTF) should be notified in advance when appointments need to be cancelled. It is your responsibility to be knowledgeable about Military Health System benefits and TRICARE coverage, options, and rules, and abide by applicable policies.
Explanation of Care. You have the right to an explanation concerning the diagnosis, treatment, procedures, unanticipated outcomes, and prognosis of your illness in terms you can understand.
Privacy and Confidentiality. You have the right to privacy which will be preserved regarding medical care to include effective safeguards to protect electronic, spoken, and written patient information.
Medical/Dental Records. All medical/dental records documenting care provided by any IVITF/DTF are the property of the U. S. Government. You have the right to request a copy of your records.
Informed Consent. You have the right to be advised, in non-clinical terms, of information needed to make knowledgeable decisions or consent of or refusal of treatments; this information will include potential risks, benefits, side effects, significant complications, and medically acceptable alternatives. It is your responsibility to recognize the reality of risks and limits of the science of medical care and the human fallibility of the healthcare professional and being aware of a healthcare provider's obligation to be reasonably efficient and equitable in providing care.
Medical/Dental Treatment Facility Rules. You have the right to be informed of the MTF/DTF rules and regulations concerning the conduct of you and visitors accompanying you. You have the responsibility to follow all MTF/DTF rules and regulations pertaining to patient conduct.
Reporting of Complaints. You have the right to a fair and objective review of any complaint you have. You are entitled to information about the MTF/DTF mechanisms for the initiation, review, and resolution of complaints. Please direct concerns to the Customer Relations Representative at the MTF/DTF. If your concerns are not adequately resolved, you have the right to contact The Joint Commission at 1-800-994-6610.
Safe Environment. You have the right to care and treatment in a safe clean environment.