Health Services
Self Care

Your Rights & Responsibilities as a Patient

1. You have the right to considerate and respectful care. Your corresponding responsibility is to give your clinician and the other Engle Center staff members the same respect and consideration. You also have the right, whenever possible, to select your own clinician.

2. Within the limits of the law, you have the right to receive complete information regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of your health problem. Your responsibility is to provide complete, honest information to your clinician so that he/she can make the best decisions about your health.

3. You have the right to receive adequate information necessary to provide informed consent prior to the start of any procedure, test, or treatment. Your responsibility is to make sure that you understand, or that you ask questions in order to clarify your understanding.

4. You have the right to refuse treatment, or to ask for a second opinion or an alternative course of treatment, and to be informed of the medical consequences of your actions. This usually occurs at no additional cost to the patient provided they are a registered student at Messiah College.  If you agree to a course of treatment, you have a responsibility to yourself and to the clinician to follow the prescribed instructions, including completing medication and returning for follow-up appointments. You also have the right to ask for a prescription from an outside pharmacy, or to have diagnostic tests performed at another facility, as long as you are prepared to accept the financial responsibility this may involve.

5. You have the right to privacy concerning your health care. All care and counseling received at the Student Health Service will be kept strictly confidential, except as required by law. You also have the right of access to your medical record within limits of the prescribed law. In accordance with Engle Center legal and procedural guidelines, you may review your record with an authorized staff member, you may receive a copy of your record, or you may designate a Health Care Provider to receive a copy of your record on your behalf.

6. You have the right to be informed of any proposed participation in research projects or human experimentation, and you have the right to refuse such participation.

7. You have the right to receive an explanation of any service charges incurred. Your responsibility is to be cost conscious, to use the services wisely, and to pay any bills promptly. You should be aware that any services obtained outside of Student Health are your financial responsibility. If you are insured, you should seriously consider purchasing health insurance to minimize financial risk.

More Information/Questions
For more information, Messiah students may call the Health Center at 691-6035.