<b>The patient has the right to make decisions regarding his/her health care</b>.  Patients may accept, refuse, or postpone any medical treatment.<b>&nbsp; [No matter how much you like and trust the doctor, you are the one that bears the brunt of any medical decision.]</b>

The patient has the right to: courtesy &amp; respect &amp; dignity &amp; responsiveness and<b> timely attention to his or her needs</b>.&nbsp;<b>[This is sometimes a problem with scan results, when it can take more than a week to get the results.  Raise the issue with the doctors, and see if you can help make the system more efficient.]</b>

<b>The patient has the right to confidentiality</b>.   The doctor may reveal information about you:   to other treating medical professionals as provided by law in certain protection of third party situations.  <b>Otherwise, he needs your consent to reveal information. </b>

<b>The patient has the right to continuity of health care.</b>   Doctors must cooperate with other health care providers to deliver it.  Doctors may not stop treatment of a patient if further treatment is indicated without giving the patient reasonable help and time to make alternative arrangements.  <b>[NOTE: If you request copies of your records for continuity of care, there may be a lesser monetary charge for copying them.]</b>

<b>The patient has a basic right to have available adequate health care</b>. "Physicians should advocate for patients in dealing with third parties when appropriate."