Summary of the Florida Patient's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
Florida law requires that your health care provider recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care, and that you respect the health care provider’s right to expect certain behavior on the part of patients. You may request a copy of the full text of this law from Eclosion Health, PLLC ("Eclosion") at any time. A summary of your rights and responsibilities follows.
Your Rights
- A patient has the right to be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of his or her individual dignity, and with protection of his or her need for privacy.
- A patient has the right to a prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests.
- A patient has the right to know who is providing medical services and who is responsible for his or her care.
- A patient has the right to know what patient support services are available, including whether an interpreter is available if he or she does not speak English.
- A patient has the right to bring any person of his or her choosing to the patient-accessible areas of the provider’s office to accompany the patient while the patient is receiving treatment or is consulting with his or her health care provider, unless doing so would risk the safety or health of the patient, other patients, or staff, or cannot be reasonably accommodated.
- A patient has the right to know what rules and regulations apply to his or her conduct.
- A patient has the right to be given by the health care provider information concerning diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis.
- A patient has the right to refuse any treatment, except as otherwise provided by law.
- A patient has the right to be given, upon request, full information and necessary counseling on the availability of known financial resources for his or her care.
- A patient who is eligible for Medicare has the right to know, upon request and in advance of treatment, whether the health care provider accepts the Medicare assignment rate.
- A patient has the right to receive, upon request, prior to treatment, a reasonable estimate of charges for medical care.
- A patient has the right to receive a copy of a reasonably clear and understandable, itemized bill and, upon request, to have the charges explained.
- A patient has the right to impartial access to medical treatment or accommodations, regardless of race, national origin, religion, handicap, or source of payment.
- A patient has the right to treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment.
- A patient has the right to know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental research and to give his or her consent or refusal to participate in such experimental research.
- A patient has the right to express grievances regarding any violation of his or her rights, as stated in Florida law, through the grievance procedure of the health care provider who served him or her and to the appropriate state licensing agency.
Your Responsibilities
- A patient is responsible for providing to the health care provider, to the best of his or her knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to his or her health.
- A patient is responsible for reporting unexpected changes in his or her condition to the health care provider.
- A patient is responsible for reporting to the health care provider whether he or she comprehends a contemplated course of action and what is expected of him or her.
- A patient is responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by the health care provider.
- A patient is responsible for keeping appointments and, when he or she is unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the health care provider.
- A patient is responsible for his or her actions if he or she refuses treatment or does not follow the health care provider’s instructions.
- A patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his or her health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
- A patient is responsible for following the rules that apply to patient care and conduct.
How These Rights Apply at Eclosion
Estimates and bills. Fees are disclosed before you agree to care. Eclosion provides a written Good Faith Estimate when required by federal law and applicable Florida estimates before planned nonemergency care for uninsured patients. You may request an itemized bill, an explanation of charges, and information about applicable discounts or payment arrangements.
Medicare. If you are eligible for Medicare, you may ask before treatment how Eclosion handles Medicare, and you will be told before any service is scheduled.
Communication assistance. Tell Eclosion if you need an interpreter or another form of communication assistance. Required assistance is provided without charge, and reasonable arrangements will be discussed with you.
Bringing someone with you. You may have a person of your choosing with you unless doing so creates a safety or health risk or cannot reasonably be accommodated. The Patient Agreement and Consent explains privacy and safety expectations at mobile and host-office visits.
Conduct. The applicable rules are described in the Patient Agreement and Consent, including its provisions for care at a location you select.
Research. Eclosion does not provide treatment for purposes of experimental research. If that ever changes, you will be told and asked to consent separately.
Raising a Concern or Grievance
If you believe your rights have not been respected, or you have any concern about your care, you may raise it directly with Eclosion. Doing so will not affect the care you receive.
Tell your physician during a visit, call (813) 388-8328, or email info@eclosionhealth.com.
Eclosion will acknowledge your concern, look into it, and respond to you. If you ask for a written response, you will receive one.
You may ask that your concern and the response be documented.
You may also raise a concern with the state licensing agency at any time, whether or not you have raised it with Eclosion:
Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Consumer Services Unit
Telephone 850-245-4339
Email MQA.ConsumerServices@flhealth.gov
Online complaint-portal.mqa.flhealthsource.gov
Complaints regarding an osteopathic physician are handled by the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine through the Department of Health.
Eclosion is not an emergency service or a continuously staffed on-call practice. For a possible emergency, call 911 or go to an emergency department; do not wait for a reply. These instructions do not waive your patient rights.