Patient Bill of Rights
I have the right to be told the truth about all known options for treatment of my illness and to have the goals of the treatment explained to me.
I have the right to talk to my doctor, my family, and friends about my illness. I also have the right to privacy in refusing to talk to others.
I have the right to be treated as a whole person with a range of biological, social, economic, emotional, informational, vocational, and spiritual needs. The fact that I am not well does not give others the right to make decisions for me.
I have the right to think about other things besides my illness. I do not have to allow my illness to control every detail of my life.
I have the right to hope - to hope for my illness to be cured, to hope for a longer life, to hope for a good quality of life, and to hope for compassionate care - throughout the course of my illness.
I have the right to express my anger with people I love. I also have the right to express the full range of emotions that dealing with my illness may provoke. My anger and expressions of pain and fear do not mean an absence of love for those who care for me.
I have the right to ask others for the help in things I cannot do for myself.
I have the right to cope with my illness in my own way. My family also has the right to cope in their own way. Our ways may be different, but that is ok.
I have the right to be as free of pain as is medically possible if that is my choice.
I have the right to decline treatment and not choose what I believe to be futile interventions.
I have the right to participate in all decisions about my care.
I have the right to draw on my own spirituality and beliefs to cope with my illness.
I have the right to explore non-traditional treatments with the involvement of my physician.
I have the right to a second opinion and support of my medical team.