Patient Responsibilities

To promote positive outcomes and the most efficient use of medical resources, patients must actively participate in their own care and treatment. As a patient served by the Annette Island Service Unit, you have:

1. The responsibility to provide requested information to health care professionals.
2. The responsibility to inform the health care provider if information about a diagnosis or treatment is unclear and to request further information until you are completely satisfied with the explanation.
3. The responsibility to work with the health care provider to develop an acceptable plan of care and to follow that plan, including medications, lifestyle changes, tests, and follow-up appointments.
4. The responsibility to understand that you may be responsible for the outcome and the cost of care if treatment is refused or the health care provider's instructions are not followed.
5. The responsibility to advise the health care provider if your health does not improve as expected, if you have adverse reactions to drugs, or if you develop new symptoms.
6. The responsibility to be on time for scheduled appointments and to notify the health care provider in advance if you are unable to keep an appointment.
7. The responsibility to inform the Annette Island Service Unit if you have access to any alternative funding sources, such as Medicaid, Medicare, or health insurance, to help pay for your care and to cooperate in applying for and obtaining benefits from those alternative sources.
8. The responsibility to pay for health-related travel and for health services received from private providers unless you have obtained prior funding authorization from the Annette Island Service Unit or other payers, such as Medicaid, the Veterans Administration, or private insurance.
9. The responsibility to treat health care providers and staff with courtesy and respect.
10. The responsibility to make suggestions about how the Annette Island Service Unit can improve its services.
11. The responsibility to speak up if you feel that you are being treated inadequately and to work with the Annette Island Service Unit toward a reasonable resolution of the problem.