Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Access to Respectful Care

  • Receive necessary care regardless of your race, sex (includes gender identity and gender expression), color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, special disabled veteran and Vietnam-era veteran status, and height or weight. Reasonable accommodation will also be provided to persons with disabilities, to disabled veterans, and to accommodate religious practices
  • Receive considerate and respectful care in a smoke-free environment
  • Speak alone with anyone you wish while in the hospitals or health centers unless your health care provider determines it is not in your best medical interest
  • Choose who may spend time with you during your inpatient stay, regardless of whether it is a family member, a spouse (including a same-sex domestic partner), or other type of visitor. You have the right to withdraw such consent at any time. If the patient is a minor, it is the parents or legal guardians who have this right.
  • Receive information about rules involving your care or conduct
  • Proper assessment and management of pain
  • Be free from restraint of any form or seclusion that is not medically necessary
  • Be free from mental, physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, neglect, and exploitation
  • Speak or meet with clergy of your choice
  • Access protective and advocacy services
  • Request an ethics committee consultation for guidance on health care decision making. For adult ethics questions, call 734-615-1379 (Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm) and for pediatric or after hours questions, contact the hospital paging operator at 734-936-4000 and ask for the consultant on call for the appropriate ethics committee
  • Privacy

 Involvement in Care Decisions

  • Have a family member or other representative, and your own physician notified of your admission to the hospital
  • Information about your diagnosis, health status, condition, treatment, prognosis, and unanticipated outcomes of care
  • Know who is taking care of you and their professional titles
  • Education about safe use of medications, medical equipment, potential food-drug interactions and counseling on nutrition and modified diets
  • Be involved in the planning, completion and review of your plan of care, including pain management and your plan of care for after you leave the hospitals or health centers
  • Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law. It is our responsibility to discuss with you the possible results of your refusal
  • Participate in health care decisions, including advance directives
  • Request treatment. However, your right to make decisions about health care does not mean you can demand treatment or services that are medically inappropriate or unnecessary
  • Information concerning research procedures proposed as part of your care. You have the right to refuse to participate in research without jeopardizing your access to continuing care

 Your Medical Records

  • See your medical record at a time suitable for both you and the staff. Once discharged, you may request and obtain a copy of your medical record for a reasonable fee by calling the Release of Information Unit at (734) 936-5490
  • Request changes to your protected health information (PHI). You have the right to ask that your information not be given out, by contacting the Release of Information Unit
  • Confidentiality, privacy and security of your records, both personal and medical. We may use or disclose PHI without your permission as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices, for example to coordinate your care or submit a claim to your insurance company
  • You have a variety of other rights related to your medical records that are explained in the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers Notice of Privacy Practices. You may obtain a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices by contacting the Office of Patient Relations at (877) 285-7788

 Concerns about Care or Service

  • Have health care information provided in a manner and form that you can understand.
  • Receive care in a safe setting.
  • Express any concerns you may have regarding your care or service. We encourage you to communicate concerns or compliments to the individuals or department involved.
  • Speak-up to identify uncomfortable situations, confusion about the care provided or to be provided, or issues where real or perceived safety concerns are identified. Legal guardians and visitors also have this right.
  • File a formal written or verbal complaint with the Office of Patient Relations if your health care providers cannot promptly resolve your concerns. Patient Relations may be reached by calling (877) 285-7788, or writing to 1500 East Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0058.
  • File a complaint with any of the following organizations if your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction by UMHHC:
    • Michigan Department of Community Health – Bureau of Health Systems, Complaint Intake, PO Box 30664, Lansing, MI 48909, (800) 882-6006.
    • Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for the State of Michigan (MPRO), Beneficiary Complaint Department, 22670 Haggerty Road, Suite 100, Farmington Hills, MI 48335, (800) 365-5899.
    • The Joint Commission – Office of Quality Monitoring, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, (800) 994-6610.

 Concerns about Billing

  • Details about all items on your bill. Upon request, information concerning financial help will be given to you. If you have a question about billing or insurance, call 855-855-0863

 As A Patient, You Are Responsible For:

  • Following the rules involving patient care and conduct. These include UMHHC visitation and no smoking policies
  • Providing a complete and accurate medical history. This history should include all prescribed and over-the-counter medications you are taking
  • Telling us about all treatments and interventions you are involved in
  • Following the suggestions and advice prescribed in a course of treatment by your health care providers. If your refusal of treatment prevents us from providing appropriate care according to ethical and professional standards, we may need to end our relationship with you after giving you reasonable notice
  • Being considerate of the rights of other patients and UMHHC personnel and property
  • Providing information about unexpected difficulties you may have involving your health care
  • Telling us if you clearly understand your plan of care and the things you are asked to do
  • Making appointments and for arriving on time. You must call in advance when you cannot keep a scheduled appointment
  • Meeting any financial obligations agreed to with the hospitals and health centers, including providing us with correct information about your sources of payment and ability to pay your bill.