Patient Privacy & Rights

Patient Privacy and Rights at Emory Healthcare

The employees and medical staff of Emory Healthcare recognize that you are an individual with unique needs and perspectives. The following reflects your rights and responsibilities as we work with you to provide your care.

You Have a Right To:

  • Participate in the development and implementation of their plan of care
  • Make informed decisions regarding their care
  • Know who is responsible for coordinating their care; know the identity of each member of their health care team
  • Receive considerate and respectful care without discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, as well as source of payment for care
  • Expect care to be given in an environment free from neglect, exploitation, and verbal, mental, physical and sexual abuse
  • Participate in the development and implementation of their pain management plan.
  • Ask for and receive complete and understandable information about their condition and care, tailored to the patient's age and ability to understand
  • Receive information in a manner that meets their needs when they are impaired by vision, speech, hearing, language barriers or cognitive impairments
  • Request and/or refuse treatment, with the right to receive a clear explanation of the consequences of refusal of treatment
  • Have access to treatment facilities that are available and medically indicated
  • Request auxiliary aids when necessary for effective communication
  • Receive respect for their cultural, religious, and spiritual preferences, personal values and beliefs, and social needs
  • Be free from humiliation
  • Request and receive pastoral counseling
  • Formulate advance directives and expect hospital staff will honor these directives
  • Have a family member or representative of their choice notified promptly of their admission to the hospital
  • Have their physician notified promptly of their admission to the hospital
  • Have a family member, friend or other individual present during their stay to visit or provide support, unless their presence interferes with other's safety, is medically contraindicated, or interferes with someone else's rights
  • Have a family member involved in decisions about care, treatment and services
  • Have a surrogate decision maker if they are unable to make decisions on their own; the surrogate decision maker has the right to refuse care, treatment and services on their behalf.
  • Have a right to personal privacy and receive private and confidential care
  • Be free from any restraint or seclusion that is not clinically necessary, unless it is necessary in an emergency to ensure their immediate physical safety, or the safety of others
  • Be free from restraint/seclusion used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff
  • Expect reasonable continuity of care and coordination of patient care services when discharging home or transferring to another facility or agency
  • Choose whether they receive any experimental treatments or procedures; be able to understand and consent to participation in experimental therapies or research
  • Request and receive information contained in their medical record within reasonable time frame, as well as request to make changes to the medical record
  • Expect confidentiality of information in their medical record will be maintained
  • Ask for and receive guidance from the Hospital Ethics Committee as well as participate in discussions about ethical issues arising from their plan of care
  • Voice concerns to hospital staff, medical staff, or patient and family advocate without fear of reprisal or discrimination
  • Have access to protective or advocacy services
  • Have issues addressing autopsy and organ donation conducted in a sensitive manner
  • Receive an explanation of their bill
  • Request assistance for concerns, or file a formal grievance with Patient Relations a-d receive a written response
  • Utilize the hospital's grievance process instead of, or in addition to filing a complaint with:
    • The Georgia Department of Community Health, 2 MLK Jr Drive, SE; East Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334; 800-878-6442 Online: https://dch.qeorqia.qov/divisionsoffices/facility-licensure/hfrd-filecomplaint
    • The Joint Commission Office of Quality and Patient Safety One Renaissance Blvd., Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 1-800-994-6610 Online: https://www.iointcommission.orq/resources/patient-safetv-topics/report-apatient-safety-concern-or-complaint/
    • Ambulatory Surgery complaints may be filed with the office of Medicare Ombudsman at 1-800-MEDICARE or 800-6334227
    • Georgia Composite Medical Board Two MLK Jr Drive, SE; East Tower, 1 floor; Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-3913
    • Office of Civil Rights, Department of Health and Human Services
      200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 509F, HHH Building
      Washington, DC 20201 1-800-368-1019 Online: https://www.hhs.qov/civil-riqhts/filinq-a-complaint/index.html

It is the right of Emory Healthcare to expect reasonable and responsible behavior by all patients and their visitors.

All patients at Emory Healthcare have the responsibilities below: 

  • Provide complete and accurate health, medical and insurance information, including an advance directive, if available
  • Be considerate and respectful of other patients, hospital staff and hospital property, and encourage their visitors to do the same  
  • Maintain civil language and conduct
  • Respect and follow hospital rules including those that prohibit offensive, threatening, and/a abusive language or behavior, and to ensure patient safety, privacy and comfort
  • Understand that language and actions that are threatening, abusive, or disrespectful will not be tolerated, and may affect access to the facility
  • Be aware that it is a felony to assault a health care worker.
  • Ask questions when in doubt
  • Communicate changes in their health and/or condition to their caregivers
  • Inform the staff of pain so that it can be assessed and treated
  • Follow their caregivers' instructions or discuss with them any obstacles they may have in complying with their prescribed treatment plan, which may include being directed to find another physician or health care facility
  • Accept the consequences and responsibility for refusing treatment or not following their prescribed treatment plan
  • Be aware that their right to be involved in their plan of care does not include receiving medically unnecessary treatment
  • Follow the guidelines about the use of cameras
  • Meet financial obligations associated with the health care services received

 

If our staff has been unable to resolve your question or concern, please contact:

View Emory's Patient Notice of Privacy Practices

 

Patient Relations/Advocacy Information

The Patient Relations/Advocacy email box and phone numbers are monitored during normal weekday business hours (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) excluding after hours, holidays, or weekends. If you need immediate assistance, please call the local Emory Healthcare facility you are attempting to reach and ask to speak with the charge nurse on the inpatient unit (if you or a loved one are currently admitted), or ask to speak with the local Nursing Supervisor. Otherwise, a representative from our Patient Relations/Advocacy team will respond to your email or voicemail within 24-48 hours during normal weekday business hours. We appreciate your patience. Please identify the patient's full name and date of birth so we can easily locate them in our system.

Care Partner/Visitor Policy Information

If you are inquiring about an exception to our care partner/visitor policy, please see the information about our policy on our Visitor Policy page. All visitor exception requests should be routed through the patient's nursing and provider care teams. Please call the clinic or hospital care units for this information.

 

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