AHA Patient Bill of Rights

The American Hospital Association Patient's Bill of Rights was a set of goals that defined a patient's rights in a hospital setting. This bill of rights has since been replaced with the Patient Care Partnership, which serves the same goals. It protects the privacy and integrity of patients, doctors and other health-care providers. The purpose of this partnership is to promote the effective use of health information and communication among entities in order to provide the best possible care.

Rights to Care

• Understand how the Patient Care Partnership protects your rights for medical care. The patient has a right to respectful care regardless of any personal attributes. Patients also have the right to compete information about their care and any recommended procedure. Hospitals are required to provide patients with information about diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis. Besides the information pertaining to the medical condition, they are also privy to information about possible costs of procedures. However, in certain situations, the patient is not first consulted about medical procedures. These procedures are skipped during emergencies in which treatment is extremely urgent or the patient is incapacitated to the extent that they are not able to make decisions for themselves. Patients also have the right to know who will be participating in their care while at the hospital. This includes any doctors, nurses, technicians or medical students.

Right to Advance Directive

• Designate a person who can make decisions for you if you are not able to. Patients are permitted and encouraged to designate decision-makers in their care should they become incapacitated to make decisions about their own health. They can provide information regarding living wills, powers of attorney or health care proxies. This information must be included in medical records in case of an emergency.

Right to Refuse Care

• Decide which treatment methods will be best for you. As a patient, you have the full legal right to refuse any kind of treatment, unless you are deemed incapacitated to make a decision. Even if a doctor recommends a certain procedure, you are allowed to refuse it based on religious beliefs, morals or any other reasons. Your doctor is required to offer alternatives for any refused treatments and to carry out your wishes even if he disagrees. If your hospital is unable to provide the medical care that you request, the hospital is required to transfer you to any other hospital that is able to provide the care that you want.

Right to Privacy

• Learn your privacy rights. Under the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), your medical records and any conversations you have with doctors and nurses should be considered private information. Privacy should be maintained as much as possible without interfering with effective treatment. You also have a right to your own records. Your doctor is required to share these medical records with you upon request. Privacy can be revoked in certain places, such situations that involve possible abuse and public-health hazards that need to be reported.

Hospital Policy

• Familiarize yourself with hospital policies and business relationships. You have a right to know of any business relationships between the hospital and certain vendors, health institutions and educational institutions that might influence your care. You are also allowed to know the hospital's formal complaint procedure and what to do in the event that you are dissatisfied with care.