Patient Rights and Responsibilities

At Baylor Medicine, we're working hard every day to bring our vision of healthcare to life. We want you to share in that vision, to understand your rights and to have the highest expectations when it comes to your care. While there will be times when it is not possible to achieve every goal during your visit, we are committed to making our vision a reality and providing the best care possible.

Be Treated with Respect

It is our privilege to serve every patient who comes through our door. We pledge to serve patients with consideration and without harassment, abuse, or discrimination at all times. While receiving care at Baylor Medicine, every patient has the right to receive considerate care that respects the patient's cultural and personal values, beliefs and preferences.

You have the right to all the information you need to make the best possible decisions, including treatment options, test results, and an explanation of costs involved. You have the right to accept or reject a treatment plan. Your care will be improved if you participate in the decisions regarding your health.

You have the right to talk in confidence with your healthcare providers and, within legal limits, to have your privacy protected at all time.

Baylor Medicine is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health care information (Protected Health Information – PHI) and to educate our personnel concerning privacy and confidentiality. Our Notice of Privacy Practices explains your legal rights regarding your health information, identifies how we may use and disclose your information, including participation in health information exchange with other providers and informs you of your legal duties and privacy practices.

• Notice of Privacy Practices English or Spanish

Your electronic medical record can be accessed by you at any time using Baylor Medicine MyChart or by requesting a copy after completing our Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information Form. Access to this form and additional forms and information related to your health information are listed below.

• Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information: English or Spanish
• Request for Amendment to Health Information: English or Spanish
• Opt-Out of Health Information Exchange: English or Spanish
• Designate Proxy Access or Revoke Proxy Access to your MyChart

Do not hesitate to ask your healthcare provider if you want a second opinion. Many times, when a disease is serious, complex or demands a surgical intervention, patients seek a second opinion.

You may have a family member, including a spouse or domestic partner (including same-sex domestic partners), friend or other person of the patient's choosing, accompany you during your discussion with your healthcare provider. Children under 18 years old accompanying adult patients to clinic visits must be supervised by an adult at all times.

We expect our staff to wear identification badges. If you do not see a badge, please feel free to ask any of us for our name and our role (doctor, nurse, receptionist, etc.).

Many patients develop "advance directives," or living wills. You can give this to your doctor and it will be filed in your medical record.

Your provider may be working with a healthcare student. You have the right to request that your examination be completed without anyone else in the room (unless a chaperone is required for sensitive exams).

If you have any concerns about your visit to one of our Baylor Medicine facilities, you may:

• Contact the department you visited
• Tell us about your experience
• Contact your Baylor Medicine Patient Advocate at (713) 798-7200
• Contact the Texas Medical Board

Complaints about physicians, as well as other licensees and registrants of the Texas Medical Board, including physician assistants, acupuncturists and surgical assistants may be reported for investigation at the following address:

Texas Medical Board
Attention:  Investigations
1801 Congress Avenue, Suite 9.200
Austin, Texas 78701

Assistance in filing a complaint is available by calling (800) 201-9353. For more information, please visit the Texas Medical Board website.

Effective healthcare requires patient involvement and responsibility. To ensure the best possible treatment and results, we ask that you:

• Provide as much information as possible about your health, medical history and insurance benefits. Tell us all you know about your present illness, health history, medications you are taking (including over the counter and herbal medications), medication allergies and anything else about your health that would help us treat you.
• Communicate with us. Tell us if you do not understand what our staff is saying to you or if you do not understand your treatment plan. If you choose not to follow the treatment plan recommended, let your practitioner know of your decision.
• Keep your appointments to ensure your care is complete.
• Let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel an appointment so we may offer your appointment time to another patient.
• Accept responsibility for your actions if you decline treatment or do not follow your practitioner's instructions.
• Ask your doctor or nurse when and how you will receive the results of tests and procedures.
• Report unexpected changes in your condition to your practitioner.
• Follow the clinic's rules and regulations.
• Act in a manner that is respectful of other patients, our staff, our faculty and clinic property. All forms of disruptive and violent behaviors, including threats, physical aggression, verbal harassment, and demeaning behavior or comments will not be tolerated.
• Respect the privacy of other patients who are being seen in our practices, which includes not taking pictures.
• Meet your financial obligation to Baylor Medicine and your practitioner.