PATIENT'S "BILL OF RIGHTS" WITHIN HEALTH CARE 

The patient has the right to impartial access to chiropractic care without regard to race; sex; cultural, national or ethnic origins; economic, educational, religious or political affiliation; and without having to disclose the source of payment for his/her care.

The patient has the right to be interviewed and examined in surroundings that permit reasonable visual and auditory privacy. Individuals not directly involved in his/her care will not be present without the patient's permission. The patient has the right to be advised of the presence of any individual during consultation and/or care and the reason for their presence. 

The patient has the right to have a person of his/her sex present during certain physical examinations by a doctor of chiropractic of the opposite sex and the right not to remain disrobed any longer than is required for accomplishing the examination for which the patient was asked to disrobe. 

The patient should know the identity and professional status of individual(s) providing service to him/her and to know who has the primary responsibility for coordinating his/her care. This includes the right to know the professional relationships among individuals who are caring for him/her as well as the relationship to any their health care or educational institution involved in his/her care. 

The patient has the right to expect information from the doctor of chiropractic coordinating his/her care concerning the diagnosis/analysis, prognosis and the planned course, of care in terms that the patient is able to understand. When it is not clinically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be made available to a legally authorized representative of the patient. 

The patient has the right to actively participate in any and all decisions regarding his/her care. To the extent permissible by applicable law, this will include the right to refuse care even after being informed of possible adverse consequences of his/her decision. When a patient or his/her legally authorized representative refuses procedures which prevent the doctor of chiropractic from providing care in accordance with professional standards, the relationship with the patient may be terminated upon reasonable notice. 

The patient has the right not to be subjected to any procedure(s) without voluntary consent or the consent of his/her legally authorized representative. When alternatives to chiropractic care exist, the patient can be expected to be informed of these alternatives. 

The patient has the right to expect confidential care of all communications and records pertaining to his/her care. The patient also has the right to have his/her health care record read only by individuals directly involved in his/her care or in monitoring of its quality and by other individuals only on the patient's written authorization or that of his/her legally authorized representative. Written permission shall be obtained before health care records are made available to anyone not directly concerned with the patient's care. 

A patient has the right to leave or voluntarily be discharged from chiropractic care even against the advice of the attending doctor of chiropractic. 

A patient can expect reasonable continuity of care. He/she shall be informed in advance of the time(s) and location(s) of appointments as well as the name and capacity of the doctor of chiropractic/health practitioner who will be providing. 

A patient has the right to be advised if the doctor of chiropractic and/or other attending physicians or other concomitant health care personnel propose to engage in or otherwise perform human experimentation affecting his/her care. The patient has the privilege and right of refusing to participate in any research project. Participation by patient in clinical training programs or in the gathering of data for research purposes should always and everywhere be voluntary. 

The patient has the right to be informed of continuing health care requirements following discharge from care in the out-patient or inpatient setting. 

The patient has the right upon request to receive an itemized detailed and thorough explanation of total charges billed for services rendered, regardless of the source of payment. The patient has the right to timely notice prior to termination of his/her eligibility for reimbursement by any third-party payer for the cost of his her/care. 

The patient shall be advised of his/her rights and shall be instructed as the rules and policies which apply to his/her conduct as a patient in the out-patient and/or in-patient setting. 

The patient shall have all his/her rights also applied to the person or persons who may assume the legal responsibility to make decisions on the patient's behalf regarding the care of the patient should the patient be a legal minor or other-wise incapacitated. 

The patient has the right to expect reasonable safety insofar as the health care environment is concerned. 

The patient, at his/her own request and expense, has the right to consult with another health care practitioner.