Patient's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Your health care at McKinley Health Center is a cooperative effort between you and your health care provider. The McKinley Health Center staff would like for you to be aware of your patient rights as well as your responsibilities.

Your rights as a health care consumer

• The student has the right to considerate and respectful care, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, age, culture, disabilities, or religious beliefs.
• The student has the right to make informed choices about health products, health services, and health care practitioners.
• The student has the right to receive complete and current information concerning his/her diagnosis and treatment from McKinley Health Center. When the patient is unable to comprehend medical information, the information will be made available to a person designated or authorized by the student, on the student's behalf.
• The student has the right to receive all of the necessary and pertinent information to make informed decisions about health care treatment.
• The student has the right to a complete and thorough examination by the health care professional including appropriate assessment and effective management of pain.
• The student has the right to refuse treatment, as permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of that action.
• The student has the right to every consideration of privacy regarding the medical care provided.
• The student has the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to health care will be treated as confidential. Students will be afforded the opportunity to approve or refuse the release of records, except when required by law.
• The student has the right to expect that, within its capacity, McKinley Health Center will make all reasonable efforts to provide requested services.
• The student has the right to know what relationship McKinley Health Center has with other health care providers and facilities in regard to his/her own health care.
• The student has the right to know if McKinley Health Center is engaging in research about health care and the right to refuse participation in such research.
• The student has the right to expect reasonable continuity of health care.
• The student has the right to examine and receive an explanation of costs for treatment when applicable.
• The student has the right to register complaints regarding received or proposed health care services with the health care provider and/or administration.

Your responsibilities as a health care consumer

• The student has the responsibility to ask questions if he/she does not understand the explanation of the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, or any instructions.
• The student has the responsibility to follow instructions concerning medications, follow-up visits, education recommendations, and other essential steps in the treatment plan and to notify the health care provider if this plan cannot be followed or if problems develop.
• The student has the responsibility for treating Health Center personnel in a respectful manner.
• The student has the responsibility to arrive as scheduled for appointments and to notify the Health Center in advance in case of canceled appointments.
• The student has the responsibility to carry health insurance as required by the University of Illinois and be familiar with policy coverage.
• The student has the responsibility to give his/her health care provider as much information as possible to assist in the assessment of his/her medical needs.