For example, when you’re hospitalized, you can…
Say “No”! You not only have the right to refuse any procedure or test you do not want, but also can say no to having a specific doctor, nurse or resident-physician treat you. (Of course, you may not have a choice if your case is an emergency.)
Bonus: My research has found that saying no is the best way to get hospital personnel to fully explain something you don’t understand so that you can then make more-informed medical decisions.
Have a loved one with you. Hospital visiting hours are not laws, but hospital-imposed restrictions. No matter what visiting hours the hospital lists, you have the right to have a personal advocate, such as a family member or friend, with you. However, visitation may be limited or barred in such areas as recovery rooms, trauma centers and quarantined areas.
Smart idea: In choosing someone to stay with you or nearby at all times, consider asking the person you’ve designated as your representative in a living will or medical durable power of attorney to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so.
See your medical records. State and federal laws allow you to see and obtain copies of your medical records (except psychotherapy notes). But you — and, in general, your designated representative — also have the right to look at your medical chart (a detailed record of your medical care and status) while you are in the hospital. Just ask your nurse or doctor.
Check your bill. State and federal consumer-protection laws give you the right to an itemized bill that includes every service, product, medication and procedure for which you are charged during your hospitalization.
Helpful: Since hospitals usually keep a running tab as charges occur, ask the billing office for a copy of your bill each day you are in the hospital. Hospital personnel may balk, but you have that right.
Insist on knowing who is treating you. Doctors and nurses should have nametags that include their medical degrees. You should know if your nurse is a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN). (RNs have more training.) You also have the right to ask anyone his/her job title and qualifications. Don’t let uniforms fool you. A white coat and stethoscope hanging around the person’s neck means nothing in terms of training or qualifications.
Check out. By law, you can check yourself out of a hospital at anytime, even if your doctors don’t recommend it. You must sign an “Against Medical Advice” form, but you can leave whenever you like — for example, if you disagree with the proposed treatment.
