Patient Rights
The baseline protections you carry into every clinic, hospital, and procedure room in the United States.
You have the right to be treated with respect, to understand what is being proposed for your body, and to say yes or no to it.
You can ask who is treating you and what their role is. You can ask for an interpreter at no cost to you. You can have a support person with you when policy allows.
You can see and get a copy of your medical record, ask for corrections, and know who else has received your information.
You can raise a concern or file a complaint without your care being punished or withdrawn.
Why it matters
Most rights are only useful when you know they exist and name them out loud. Patients who say “I'd like to understand my options before I decide” consistently get more information than patients who wait to be told.
What to do
- Ask for the facility's Patient Rights and Responsibilities document — every hospital must provide one.
- Write down the name and role of anyone making decisions about your care.
- If a right is not being honored, ask for the patient advocate or patient relations office by name.
- Document the date, time, and what was said. Facts travel further than frustration.
Educational purposes only
Phoenix Health Compass does not provide legal advice or medical advice. This content summarizes publicly available government and nonprofit resources and is cited throughout. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the official agency.
Last reviewed by the Phoenix Health Compass editorial team.