PATIENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Indian Health Board (IHB) of Minneapolis, Inc. acknowledges and respects patient rights to care, treatment, and services within its capabilities and mission, and in compliance with law and regulation.

The Purpose of IHB’s Patient Rights Policy

The purpose of IHB’s Patient Rights policy is to help patients understand and exercise their rights and responsibilities.

1. Patients’ Rights

  1. Respect and Nondiscrimination

    Patients have the right to fair, considerate, respectful care from all IHB employees and providers at all times, under all circumstances.

  2. Information

    Patients have the right to receive accurate, easily understood information about their health and the health care and services IHB provides. They have the right to examine bills and obtain explanations of any and all charges.

  3. Choice

    Patients have the right to choose which providers they see.

  4. Access

    Patients have the right to have access to health care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including access to emergency care when needed.

  5. Participation in Treatment Decisions

    Patients have the right to fully participate in all health care decisions. If a patient cannot fully participate, he/she has the right to be represented by a parent, guardian, family member, or other person(s) of his/her choice.

  6. Treatment Refusal

    Patients have the right to refuse care and treatment that they do not understand or do not want. They have the right to refuse to participate in any experimental research.

  7. Confidentiality

    Patients have the right to communicate with health care providers in confidence, and to have individually identifiable health care information protected. They have the right to obtain and review copies of their health records, and to request amendments to those records. They have the right to know how IHB uses and discloses protected health information.

  8. Complaints and Grievances

    Patients have the right to a fair and efficient process for submitting complaints and resolving differences with IHB.

  9. Pain Management

    IHB may refer the patient for a comprehensive pain assessment and/or treatment when warranted.

2. Patients’ Responsibilities

  • a. Adopting healthy habits
  • b. Working with IHB to develop and carry out treatment plans
  • c. Disclosing significant information, and clearly communicating needs and wants
  • d. Avoiding actions that can spread disease
  • e. Recognizing the risks and limits of health care and health care professionals.
  • f. Maintaining awareness of IHB’s duty to provide fair, efficient care to other patients
  • g. Knowing about their health insurance coverage, benefits, limits, and rules
  • h. Showing respect to other patients and health workers
  • i. Making good-faith efforts to meet financial obligations to IHB
  • j. Following the requirements of health plans, health care providers, and government health benefit programs
  • k. Reporting wrongdoing to appropriate resources

3. Posting of Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Patient rights and responsibilities are posted throughout IHB.

4. Provision of Copies

Patients are provided with copies of their rights and responsibilities on request.