Patient's Rights and Responsibilities

Rights

As our patient, you have the right to:

1. Be treated with respect, consideration, and dignity.
2. Appropriate privacy.
3. Confidentiality of your medical records.  Except when required by law, patients will be given the opportunity to approve or refuse the release of medical records.
4. Be provided complete information, to the degree known, concerning your diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and prognosis unless medically inadvisable.
5. Participate with your physician/provider in making informed decisions involving your health care, including your right to accept or refuse medical care or treatment.
6. Request and receive a second opinion.
7. Change physician/provider or to request a particular physician/provider or to refuse treatment by a trainee.
8. Review your medical record.
9. Care that is considerate and respectful of your own values and cultural beliefs and to equal access to treatment regardless of race, national origin, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or religion.
10. Timely access to health care.
11. Refuse to participate in experimental research. A refusal to participate in research will never jeopardize subsequent care at Student Health Services.
12. Examine and receive an explanation of costs for treatment when applicable.
13. Request a staff chaperone at any point. 

Responsibilities

As our patient, you have the responsibility to:

1. Provide to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information.
2. Follow the plan of treatment as discussed and recommended by the health professional and to assume responsibility if you refuse treatment or don't follow the plan.
3. Provide transportation home as necessary following your visit as recommended by the Health Care provider.
4. Inform provider about living will and/or medical power of attorney or other directive that may affect your health care.
5. Arrange payment for any charges not covered by the health fee or insurance. To bill your own insurance, family insurance and/or Student Insurance, for services not covered by the prepaid Student Health Services fee except for pharmacy charges. You may obtain a bill from Student Health Services Business Office to file with insurance. You may provide Student Health Services Pharmacy your prescription plan information for Pharmacy to bill insurance.
6. Treat staff and other patients with respect, consideration and dignity.
7. Inform Administration as soon as possible if you believe your rights have been violated, to express grievances, or to offer suggestions.
8. Respect community by turning off cell phones/pagers or placing them on vibrate and refraining from use unless authorized by the Health Care provider.
9. Keep your appointment at Student Health Services, arrive timely or to cancel at least one hour before the scheduled appointment.
10. Be knowledgeable of the Student Health Services cancellation and No Show guidelines and policies.

Excuse Protocol

Student Health Services will not provide written excuses for class absences. The responsibility of Student Health Services is to treat students who are ill or injured and to provide education regarding health related issues. Class attendance is an administrative matter between faculty and students.

In situations with prolonged illness or injury, an SHS provider may provide a letter to the student to present to their instructor. After discussion with the instructor, if questions remain, the student may contact the Dean of Students Office. Minor health problems can be verified by providing a statement from the Business Office or from the health portal, documenting date and time of service, and this information can be given to instructors or employers to verify visits to SHS.