Patients’ Rights

  • Patients of Columbia Basin Health Association have the right to:
    • Medical, Dental, and Eye care from providers who are experienced and trained to meet their medical/dental/eye care needs.
    • Receive proper and timely health care.
    • Be treated with respect, consideration and without judgment by all staff and volunteers.
    • Actively participate in their health care, including decision making, treatment options and ethical decisions.
    • Have their privacy, confidentiality and dignity respected.
    • Receive an explanation of any charges for services in a language they can understand.
    • Free of charge, be offered a qualified interpreter by a CBHA dual language staff member or a third-party professional translation service provider to communicate with CBHA staff who do not speak in the patient’s native language, including American Sign Language.
    • Receive medically necessary treatment regardless of the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
    • Be provided care in a safe, secure, comfortable and clean environment.
    • Participate in decisions about their treatment, and patients are encouraged to participate.
    • Accept or refuse treatment, and to be informed of the possible results of refusal.
    • Care and services that respects their values and belief system.
    • Have their medical record and information regarding their health care treated confidentially.
    • Know the name, title and qualifications of the providers and staff who provide their care.
    • Affordable health care and information about our organization.
    • Information about the health plans used by CBHA.
    • Be informed regarding billing practices, contract agreements with outside providers and available financial assistance for medical treatment.
    • Be informed about the complaint/concern process and to receive an answer in a timely manner.
    • Be informed of advance directives, receive assistance with their formulation and have them implemented properly at CBHA.
    • Guardian, next of kin, or legally authorized responsible person can exercise their rights for them if they are unable to participate.

Patient’s Responsibilities

  • Columbia Basin Health Association is a health care system that protects patients’ rights; therefore, patients are expected and encouraged to assume reasonable responsibilities.
  • Greater individual involvement by patients in their care increases the likelihood of achieving the best outcomes and helps support a quality improvement, cost-conscious environment.
  • CBHA requests that our patients:
    • Be involved in health care decisions
    • Follow the treatment plan that they and their provider agree to.
    • Provide complete and accurate information regarding their health history, current medical status and changes in symptoms and medical conditions.
    • Fulfill financial obligations for the health care services provided.
    • Use their health plan CBHA’s internal patient concern and appeal processes to address concerns that may arise.
    • Avoid knowingly spreading disease
    • Accept the risks that have been explained to them if they decide to refuse recommended treatment.
    • Make and keep appointments for non-emergency care and notify the center if they are going to be late or need to cancel any appointment.
    • Treat health care professionals, staff, other patients and the health center’s property in a considerate and respectful manner.
    • Receive proper authorization from their primary care provider before going to a specialist.