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Patient Information

Patient Bill of Rights

We at Duke University Health System view health care as a partnership between you and your caregivers.We respect your rights, values, and dignity.

We also ask that you recognize the responsibilities that come with being a patient, both for your own well-being and that of fellow patients and caregivers.

Please read and exercise these rights and responsibilities as outlined below.

Patient Rights

  • You have the right to safe, high-quality, medical care, without discrimination, that is compassionate and respects personal dignity, values, and beliefs.
  • You have the right to participate in and make decisions about your care and pain management, including refusing care to the extent permitted by law. Your care provider (such as your doctor or nurse) will explain the medical consequences of refusing recommended treatment.
  • You have the right to have your illness, treatment, pain, alternatives, and outcomes be explained in a manner you can understand. You have the right to interpretation services if needed.
  • You have the right to know the name and role of your care providers. At your request, you have a right to a second opinion.
  • You have the right to request that a family member, friend, and/or physician be notified that you are under the care of this facility.
  • You have the right to receive the hospital visitors whom you designate, including, but not limited to, your spouse, a domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. You also have the right to withdraw or deny their consent to visitation at any time. In the event you are unable to designate who can visit, the person you have designated as your “support person” can make that designation. Hospital visitation will not be limited or denied based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. However, it may become clinically or otherwise reasonably necessary for a patient’s care, safety, or well-being to impose restrictions on visitation. Reasons to limit hospital visitation, if deemed necessary, may include but are not limited to:
    • Patient is undergoing care interventions with which visitation may interfere
    • Infection control issues
    • Visitation may interfere with the care of other patients
    • Existence of court orders restrict visitation or other contact
    • Disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior by a visitor of any kind
    • Patient or others’ in room need for privacy or rest
    • Need for limitation on the number of visitors in particular space or during specific time period
    • Minimum age requirements for child visitors
    • Visitation limitation protocols for substance abuse or mental health treatment of patient
  • You have the right to be informed about transfers to another facility or organization and be provided complete explanation including alternatives to a transfer.
  • You have the right to receive information about continuing your health care at the end of your visit.
  • You have the right to know the policies that affect your care and treatment.
  • You have the right to participate in research or decline to participate in research. You may decline at any time without compromising your access to care, treatment, and services.
  • You have the right to private and confidential treatments, communications, and medical records to the extent permitted by law.
  • You have the right to receive information concerning your advance directives, (living will, health care power of attorney, or mental health advance directives), and to have your advance directives respected to the extent permitted by law.
  • You have the right to access your medical records in a reasonable timeframe, to the extent permitted by law.
  • You have the right to be informed of charges and receive counseling on the availability of known financial resources for health care.
  • You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion that are not medically required or are used inappropriately.
  • You have the right to access advocacy or protective service agencies and a right to be free from abuse.
  • You have the right to have your compliments, concerns, and complaints addressed. Should you or your designated guardian, advocate, support person, or representative feel at any time that your rights as a patient have been violated or you wish to share a compliment, concern, or complaint, please call 919-954-3292. Sharing your concerns and complaints will not compromise your access to care, treatment, and services. Compliments, concerns, and complaints can also be communicated to:
    • The NC Department of Health Service Regulation
      2711 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699
      Hospital Branch: 1-800-624-3004
      Mental Health Branch: 919-855-3795
    • The Joint Commission
      Office of Quality Monitoring: 800-994-6610
      www.jointcommission.org
  • Additional patient rights may be applicable to specialty patient populations. Such populations will be informed of those rights upon initiation of care.

Patient Responsibilities

  • You are responsible for providing as much information as possible about your health, medical history, and insurance benefits.
  • You are responsible for asking the care provider when you do not understand medical words or instructions about your plan of care.
  • You are responsible for following your plan of care. If you are unable/unwilling to follow the plan of care, you are responsible for telling your care provider. Your care provider will explain the medical consequences of not following the recommended treatment. You are responsible for the outcomes of not following your plan of care.
  • You are responsible for following the facility’s rules and regulations.
  • You are responsible for acting in a manner that is respectful of other patients, staff, and facility property.
  • You are responsible for meeting your financial obligation to the facility.