Patient Rights & Responsibilities
The staff at the Health Services Authority are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, values, and personal preferences while in our care or when using our platforms and services.
Your care will be more effective when you are well informed, participate in treatment decisions, and communicate openly with your nurse, physician, and other health professionals.
The Health Services Authority promotes our patients’ rights, interests, and well-being. Our policy is that these rights shall be respected, and no patient shall be required to waive these rights as a condition of treatment.
Patients Rights
As a patient, parent, or legally responsible representative of a patient, you have the right to:
Respectful & Safe Care
- Treatment for any urgent medical condition which is likely to deteriorate if treatment is not given.
- Have your pain managed.
- Be given considerate, respectful, and compassionate care.
- Coordination and continuity of care and be informed of available and realistic patient care options when care at our facility is no longer appropriate.
- Have a family member/friend and your doctor notified when you are admitted, transferred, or discharged from the hospital or emergency department.
- Be given care in a clean and safe environment, free from abuse and neglect (verbal, mental, physical, or sexual).
- Have a medical screening exam and be provided stabilizing treatment for emergency medical conditions including labour.
- Know the names and positions of the people who care for you.
- Know when students, residents or other trainees are involved in your care.
- Have your culture and personal values, beliefs, and wishes respected.
- Have any personal values secured.
- Have conversations with a member of the Patient Experience team about issues related to your care.
- Be treated with dignity and without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, religion, ethnicity, language, or ability to pay.
- Ask for an estimate of hospital charges before care is provided.
Effective Communication & Participation in Your Care
- Get information in a way you prefer and clearly understand. These services will be provided free of charge – sign language and language interpretation.
- Receive information from your doctor/provider about your:
- diagnosis
- test results
- proposed treatment
- risk and potential complications
- alternative treatments
- outcomes of care
- unanticipated outcomes of care
- Be involved in your plan of care and discharge plan or request a discharge plan evaluation at any time.
- Participate in decisions about your medical care before and during treatment (to the extent permitted by law and HSA policies) and be informed of the potential medical consequences of those decisions.
- Refuse or discontinue life sustaining care including treatments, medications, without punitive action, except as otherwise provided by law.
- Expression of any concerns or grievances orally or in writing without fear of reprisal.
- Refuse participation in research and experimentation
- Ask questions and get a timely response to your questions or requests.
- Be involved in resolving dilemmas about care decisions
- Refuse care.
- Ask for and be provided with a chaperone during exams, tests, or procedures.
- Select someone to make health care decisions for you if at some point you are unable to make those decisions (and have all patient rights apply to that person) in accordance with The Health Care Decisions Act (2022 revision) and the HSA’s capabilities.
Social & Family Support
- Receive visitors, mail, telephone calls, and other communication during your stay as long as they do not interfere with your ongoing treatment or that of others.
- Involve your family in decisions about care.
- Have someone with you for emotional support, unless that person interferes with you or others’ rights, safety or health.
- Choose your support person and visitors and change your mind about who may visit.
- Have access to spiritual services.
- Be given a list of protective and advocacy services, when needed. These services help certain patients (e.g., children, elderly, disabled) exercise their rights and protect them from abuse and neglect.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation
- Be protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
- Free from use of seclusion or restraints unless clinically required.
End of Life Decisions
- Create or change an advance directive (also known as a living will or durable power of attorney for health care).
Informed Consent
- Give or refuse permission (informed consent) before any non-emergency care is provided.
- Receive information from your doctor/provider about:
- risks and benefits of your treatment
- alternatives to treatment, including no treatment
- risks and benefits of those alternatives
- Agree or refuse to be part of a research study without affecting your care.
Privacy & Confidentiality
- Have private and confidential treatment and communication about your care.
- Have your presence at the facility treated as confidential.
Patient Responsibilities
- Provide accurate information about your past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to your health.
- Seek clarification when necessary to fully understand your health problems and the physician’s plan of care to assist you.
- Follow through on the agreed plan of care and accept responsibility for your actions if your refuse treatment or do not follow instructions.
- Comply with the rules and regulations of this health care facility, including those about patient safety.
- Be considerate of other patients and see that your visitors are courteous.
- Keep appointments or call the appropriate area or hospital when you cannot keep an appointment.
- Be respectful of other people and their property and the property of the Health Service Authority.
- Be prompt in your payment of bills by providing the information necessary for payment or insurance processing and asking questions you may have concerns about your account.
- Follow the treatment plan recommended by your physician and notify them of any changes after you leave the hospital or clinic.
- Refrain from using abusive, aggressive, or threatening language or mannerisms toward staff members or visitors.
- Be responsible for the safekeeping of clothing, money, jewelry, and any other personal possessions you choose to keep with you while you are in the facility.
- Bring your medication (or a list of medications) when visiting the hospital.
By familiarising yourself with these points, you can better participate in your care and act as a vital part of the health care team. If you have any questions or concerns about your rights and responsibilities, please call the Patient Services Representative at 244-2820 or from any patient rooms within the hospital (including Cayman Brac) dial 2820.
Important Information
Patient Safety and Comfort
To provide the best healthcare environment and to uphold our Mission and Core Values to all, aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated.
Examples of Aggressive Behaviour
- Physical Assault
- Verbal Harassment
- Abusive Language
- Threats
- Unapproved photographs or videos
- Sexual Language directed at others
- Failure to respond to staff instructions
Pursuant to the Penal Laws of the Cayman Islands, conducting yourself in any criminal acts or illegal behaviour may result in arrest and imprisonment.
To protect patient confidentiality, all are asked to refrain from photographs and video/audio recordings while at the Health Services Authority premises. Anyone not complying will be asked to the HSA immediately.
All patient and visitors must obtain permission from the HSA staff before photographic or video/audio recording for personal use. All staff reserve the right to refuse to be photographed or video/audio recorded.