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Patient Rights

We believe most patients want to understand and actively participate in their healthcare. We respect and value your role in making decisions about your health, and we are committed to protecting your rights as a patient.

What you can expect from us

The University of Kansas Health System is committed to respecting and protecting the rights of our patients. Honoring these rights is an important part of caring for you.

As an adult patient of the health system, you have access to these rights and are asked to uphold these responsibilities.

  • Respectful care
  • Complete, correct and full information about your health and your care
  • Participation in your care decisions
  • Confidentiality
  • Security
  • Have a family member and/or personal representative and your own physician promptly notified when you are admitted to the hospital
  • Receive help completing an advance directive
    • If you already have an advance directive, you have the right to expect it to be followed by the physicians and hospital staff caring for you.
  • Be treated in the least restrictive way that preserves your safety and that of other patients and hospital staff
  • Expect hospital staff to be committed to pain prevention and management
  • Receive communication in a language you can understand
  • Consent to or refuse participation in any proposed research study without retribution or difference in the quality of your care
  • Be informed of available resources for resolving problems or questions you have about your care, including Patient Relations and the Ethics Committee
  • Examine your bill and receive an explanation of the charges, regardless of the source of payment for your care
  • Providing correct information about your symptoms, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and any other pertinent information
  • Asking questions until you fully understand your plan of care
  • Participating fully in decision-making about your plan of care. This includes telling your physicians and nurses about any obstacles you may encounter in continuing your plan of care after discharge.
  • Following your treatment plan
  • Following hospital rules, such as our no-smoking policy and visitor and noise-control guidelines
  • Showing respect to other patients, physicians and hospital staff
  • Choosing someone to speak for you in the event you cannot speak for yourself
  • Being fully involved in your discharge plan
  • Providing information necessary to process your bill
  • Promptly meeting any financial obligations
  • Consenting to a blood test if any healthcare worker should come in contact with your blood

We take patient safety very seriously and have a zero tolerance policy for violence. We will not tolerate violent or aggressive behavior of any kind, and will notify the police when necessary. We appreciate your cooperation and respect in helping us create a safe, healing environment.

If you are unable to exercise the rights listed here, your legal guardian, next of kin or legally authorized surrogate has the right to exercise these rights on your behalf. In certain circumstances, laws or regulations may authorize limitations upon your ability, or that of a surrogate, to exercise any of the rights listed here.

HIPAA

Your rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Patient privacy

Notice of patient privacy practices at The University of Kansas Health System.

Secure emails

Your privacy is important to us. Potentially sensitive messages are sent securely.

Professional conduct

We are deeply committed to maintaining high ethical standards. Learn more.

Notice of nondiscrimination

The University of Kansas Health System complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

Diverse group of smiling people.

View our Notices of Nondiscrimination and Notice of Assistance Services
Notice of Nondiscrimination and Assistance Services EnglishNotice of Nondiscrimination and Assistance Services Spanish

Related links

Discrimination Policy
Health and Safety Protocols
Hospital Visitor Guidelines
Hours and Parking
Late-arrival and no-show policies
Patient Rights
Safety and Security
Notice of Privacy Practices
Fair Use Guidelines
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