Patients Rights & Abandonment

Patient rights are always under heavy scrutiny in the health care field, and what
constitutes abandonment is always being questioned. However, there are clear guidelines that must be followed and a generally accepted definition of what patient abandonment is.

Patient Rights

• There are federal laws that protect patients and give them rights when seeking and receiving medical care. One of these federal laws is the right to obtain copies of your medical records. In addition, states often write their own patient bill of rights legislation, and most health care facilities have copies of this information they can share with you.

The Eight Categories

• According to the American Cancer Society, there are eight major categories that make up a patient's bill of rights, including: the right to have complete and accurate information about your health care explained to you in a manner you can understand; the right to be assessed, examined and given appropriate medical care in the case of an emergency; the right to know what treatment options are available to you and to be able to make your own decisions about your health care; the right to be treated competently and with respect by health care staff members; the right to privacy in regards to your health care information; and the right to a quick, fair review of any complaint against any health care provider, including insurance companies and health care facilities, if you have a grievance.

Patient Abandonment

• There is controversy about what constitutes patient abandonment. According to U.S. legal definitions, patient or medical abandonment occurs when a caregiver or health care professional fails to give proper care to a patient. It can also mean that one health care staff member fails to make necessary arrangements for another staff member to provide care for a patient.

Questions Regarding Abandonment

• According to U.S. legal definitions, if a caregiver accepted an assignment, did not provide acceptable notice before terminating care did not allow for reasonable arrangements to be made for providing care, it can be considered abandonment.

Additional Resources

• The American Medical Association is a good resource that has a list of questions patients should consider asking their health care providers. It covers topics such as finding a good physician and what to do if your chosen doctor provides inadequate care.