Your rights and responsibilities as a hospital patient

You have certain rights and responsibilities as a patient in a Minnesota hospital. These rights and responsibilities help you take an active role in your health care and promote your well-being and recovery.

Your rights

You have a right to:

• receive medical and personal care that is:
• courteous and respectful
• based upon your specific needs
• know the name of the doctor or other health care provider who is responsible for coordinating your care
• have complete and current information about your treatment so you can make informed decisions; this includes:
• knowing the diagnosis, treatment, alternatives, risks and most likely results
• having the information stated in terms and words you understand
• having a family member or other chosen person present when you talk with your health care provider if you wish
• see a copy of your medical records as allowed by law
• be cared for with reasonable regularity and continuity of staff (as allowed by facility policy)
• know what services are available at the facility
• quick and reasonable response to your questions and requests
• join in discussions about your care or treatment; this includes:
• being able to discuss treatments and alternatives
• being able to attend formal care conferences
• having a family member or other chosen person with you if you feel more comfortable that way
• having a family member or other chosen person speak for you if you cannot do so yourself unless you have stated otherwise in writing
• refuse care
• be free from restraints that are not medically necessary and be free from abusive or harassing behavior
• have privacy for medical and personal care; this includes:
• discussions, exams, treatments
• medical records (except where a release of records is authorized by law)
• personal hygiene activities
• have personal privacy with respect to your preferences (such as cultural, social or religious preferences) and for communications with others (such as phone calls or mail)
• have an interpreter provided with no charge
• make a formal grievance and recommend changes in the facility's policies or services without fear of revenge or punishment

Your responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• showing respect and consideration for the facility staff and property
• providing accurate and complete information about your health and reporting any changes in it
• asking questions when you do not understand what you have been told about the care being offered to you or what you are being asked to do
• following the care or treatment plan developed with you
• reporting any risks you think are related to your care as well as any unexpected changes in your condition
• accepting the consequences if you don't follow the care or treatment plan
• paying for charges related to your care

More information

This is a brief summary of your rights and responsibilities.

If you would like more information:

• ask your health care provider for a copy of the Minnesota Patients' Bill of Rights or Wisconsin Patients' Bill of Rights
• visit the Minnesota Department of Health's Web site to download the Patients' Bill of Rights in English or in other languages
• visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' Web site to download the Patients' Bill of Rights in English
• contact or call the Minnesota Department of Health:
  • Office of Health Facility Complaints, P.O. Box 64970, St. Paul, MN 55164-0970
  • phone: 651-201-4201651-201-4201 or 1-800-369-79941-800-369-7994
• contact or call the Wisconsin Department of Health Services:
  • Client Rights Office, P.O. Box 7851, Madison, WI 53707-7851
  • phone: 608-266-9369608-266-9369

Translations

Allina Health uses handouts in these languages to inform patients of their rights:

• Spanish
• Hmong
• Russian
• Somali