Patient Rights and Responsibilities
Knowing your rights and responsibilities is a key to your full participation in your care.
For patients
Information for patients, their families and their visitors about their while in our Gainesville hospitals.
Our goal is to provide the best patient care. If at any time you have questions or concerns about the quality of care that you or a family member are receiving or have received at our hospital, do not hesitate to speak with your nurse or the nursing supervisor.
If you feel that your issue wasn’t resolved, please contact a Patient Representative at (352) 265-0123 with your compliments, complaints, or concerns. You may call at any time during or after your stay.
Fighting Infections
How to protect yourself from developing an infection during your stay.
Patient Privacy
Information on your health information can and cannot be used, our privacy policies, and social media tips for visitors.
Reporting patient emergencies
How to call for an emergency response when there are sudden changes or concerns about a patient’s condition.
Medications
By taking part in your own care, you can help the members of your health-care team avoid medication errors.
Patient Satisfaction
We encourage your feedback to improve care.
Safety and Security
Information on patient ID bands, allergies, medical equipment, and patient safety.
Your Health Care Team
Learn about the different roles and people that will be part of your care team.
Advance Directives
Decisions become more difficult if, due to illness or a change in mental condition, you are unable to communicate with your doctor and loved ones. Advance Directives are legal documents that allow you to give direction to medical personnel, family and friends concerning your future care when you cannot speak for yourself.
Ethics Advisory Committee
Many health care choices involve an ethical concern or conflict. Ethical concerns can be caused by events such as:
- a patient’s wish to refuse seemingly tolerable life-sustaining treatment
- By patients or family members requesting treatments that are likely to be harmful.
Difficult decisions can quickly become overwhelming. The ethics consultant is available to hear such concerns. The consultant provides recommendations informed by:
- ethical analyses
- bioethics literature
- florida law.
Requests for a consultation may be made by the patient or a family member. Additionally, a physician, social worker, nurse or staff member can request a consult.
To request a consultation, call the Ethics Consult Service at (352) 265-8900. The on-call ethics consultant will try to return the call within 24 hours. If you need help getting an ethics consultation, please ask a member of your health care team.
Patient Advocate Agencies
In addition, you have the right to file a complaint or concern with either or both:
- The Florida Department of Public Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399 -1701 - Office of Quality Monitoring
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1-800-994-6610
complaint@jointcommission.org
Face mask policy for UF Health facilities
Generally speaking, face masks are not required in UF Health facilities. However, to ensure the health and safety of our patients, visitors and employees, properly worn face masks will be required under special circumstances.