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Rights and Responsibilities

As a patient, you have both rights and responsibilities when interacting with members of your healthcare team. 

You have the right...

  • To be treated with respect and courtesy.
  • To be your own advocate, or to bring an advocate with you. 
  • To be kept fully informed, and to have things explained to you in language you can understand. 
  • To be informed of all possible treatment options available at your centre or at other facilities, including clinical trials. 
  • To be allowed, and even helped, to obtain a second opinion if you want. 
  • To be given the opportunity to participate in treatment decision making, including the right to refuse any treatment you do not want. 
  • To receive copies of your records, such as lab results, X-rays, and test results, at a reasonable cost (e.g., the cost of copying), at your request. 

It is your responsibility...

  • To be completely truthful and forthcoming, without withholding any information. 
  • To speak up if you aren’t happy or don’t understand. (It helps to be tactful when doing so.) 
  • To try to learn about your condition and treatments, so you can participate in decision making. 
  • To comply with any mutually agreed-upon treatment plan. 
  • To treat the members of your healthcare team with respect and courtesy.