Patient Rights & Responsibilities

The University of Virginia Health System is committed to providing an environment, which fosters quality health care for its patients as described below. Employees are expected to assist patients in understanding and exercising their rights. Likewise, patients are expected to understand their responsibilities to their caregivers and other individuals attempting to provide services to them.

Patient Rights

  • The UVa Health System is dedicated to giving you the best health care and service possible. As a patient here, you may expect to receive considerate and respectful care. We will honor your rights to be informed and to be involved in making decisions about your care. You have the following rights as a competent adult patient:
  • You have the right to know about your illness and proposed treatment and to participate in the development of your plan of care. Information will be given to you by your doctors and other members of your health care team in language you can understand.
  • You have the right to make decisions about your care, including the right to know why you need an operation or treatment and who will perform that operation or treatment. This includes the right to refuse care or treatment and to know what may happen if you do not have this care or treatment.
  • You have the right to develop Advance Directives and to have hospital staff comply with those directives.
  • You have the right to access all information contained in your medical record. This includes the right to know the name of the doctor who is in charge of your care and the names of all other Health System staff taking care of you.
  • You have the right to have a family member or representative and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital.
  • You have the right to receive treatment in a safe, abuse-free environment without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or source of payment.
  • You have the right to personal privacy while in the hospital and to have all information about your illness and care treated as confidential.
  • You have the right to be free from restraints of any form that are not medically indicated.
  • You have the right to receive appropriate assessment and management of pain.
  • You have the right to agree or refuse to take part in any study or experiment related to your care or treatment.
  • You have the right to review your bills and have any questions you have about them answered.
  • You have the right to discuss your concerns or file a complaint with the hospital's Patient Representative Office regarding your experience as a patient of the Health System and to receive a response in a timely manner. You also have the right to an internal appeal to any response that you receive and a right to file a complaint with an external agency.

Patient Responsibilities

In order to receive optimal care, you and your family are responsible for:

  • Providing accurate information about your present illness and past medical history and wishes for your medical care.
  • Seeking clarification when necessary to fully under-stand your health problems and the proposed plan of care.
  • Following through on your agreed plan of care.
  • Considering and respecting the rights of others.
  • Being courteous.
  • Providing accurate information for insurance claims and working with the Health System to make
    payment arrangements when necessary so that others can benefit from the services provided here.
  • Following visitation policies of University Hospital.
  • Following the rules and regulations of the Health System and of the Commonwealth of Virginia which forbid:
    • Engaging in verbal or physical abuse,
    • Using alcohol or illegal substances,
    • Carrying weapons of any kind.