Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Thank you for choosing Medical Services and Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) for your health care. You or your legal representative have entered into a cooperative partnership with our health care providers and staff. As you interact with each other in the partnership, there are rights that you have and responsibilities for you to fulfill. 

Patient Rights

You have the right to:

Decision Making:

• To the degree it is known, receive complete information about your diagnosis, evaluation, treatment options and alternatives, risks, and prognosis. 
• Have family members, friends, or other individuals present or involved in your care, when you choose. 
• Make choices and participate in decisions regarding your healthcare, treatment plan, and enrollment in research or experimental programs except when such participation is contraindicated. 
• Change providers if other qualified providers are available. 
• Give or withhold informed consent for treatment.
• Create an advance directive and have your care providers comply with advance directives when they are valid, apparent, and available. An advance directive is a legal document that allows you to give directions about future medical care or to direct another person to make medical decisions for you if you cannot make decisions yourself. You have the right to be informed when an advance directive cannot be followed. For more information visit: Advance care planning for patients and families | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 

Quality of Care:

• Receive considerate, respectful, age-appropriate, and private care in accordance with your needs that maintains your dignity and incorporates your values and beliefs regardless of your race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or disability. 
• Expect reasonable coordination of care between providers, as well as for referrals outside the facility. 
• Receive care in a safe setting

Accomodations:

• Get information about your care in a way that you can understand, including interpretation services as needed. 
• Obtain information about the existence and location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable by all interested parties.
• Request reasonable accommodations.

Confidentiality and Privacy:

• Personal information being shared only with those who are involved in your health care. 
• Expect personal privacy and confidentiality of your medical record and billing information to the extent provided by law and outlined in the Notice of Privacy Practices. 
• An environment that supports patient comfort and privacy.

Access to Medical Records:

• Review and get a copy of your medical records at any time (certain CAPS health records may be an exception). 
• Request an amendment to your medical record.

Billing:

• Receive an itemization of your bill and charges. 
• Request an explanation of all billing charges. 

Grievances:

• Voice a complaint to your health care providers and administrators without fear of reprisal. 
• Contact Compliance to file a complaint/grievance by emailing HWCompliance@colorado.edu or file a complaint with the Department of Regulatory Agencies by calling 303-894-7855. 
• Receive a timely response with the results of your complaint or an estimation of expected your complaint or an estimation of expected resolution within 7 days. 
• You can appeal the resolution to your complaint in writing within 7 days of response. 

Patient Responsibilities

You have the responsibility to:

Respect and Consideration:

• Act in a respectful and considerate manner toward health care providers, staff, other patients, and visitors. Physical or verbal threats through actions or communication are not tolerated.
• Follow University and Health and Wellbeing rules and regulations. 
• Keep appointments and, when necessary, follow the cancellation policy. 

Provide Information: 

• Provide accurate and complete information to the best of your abilities about your health, any medications taken including over-the-counter products and dietary supplements, and allergies or sensitivities. 
• Report any unexpected changes in your condition. 

Involvement:

• Actively participate in your treatment by following your recommended treatment plan. 
• Express any concerns about your ability to follow the treatment plan. 
• Accept consequences of outcomes if you do not follow the treatment plan. 
• Speak up about concerns you may have about the quality of your care and treatment. 
• If needed, provide a responsible adult to provide transportation home and remain with you, as directed by your provider. 

Billing and Insurance:

• Know what your insurance or health plan covers.
• Pay bills promptly and accept personal financial responsibility for any charges not covered by insurance.