Non-Discrimination
Non-Discrimination in Healthcare
In the United States, healthcare providers are required to provide services without discrimination. This is often outlined in a “Patient Bill of Rights” or similar document. Here’s a general overview of non-discrimination principles in healthcare:
Healthcare Provider Obligations:
- Provide equal access to services without discrimination.
- Offer appropriate aids and services for individuals with disabilities.
- Provide language assistance services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
Patient Rights:
- The right to receive care without discrimination.
- The right to respectful and non-discriminatory communication.
- The right to access interpreter services if needed.
- The right to receive information about your rights and the grievance process if you believe your rights have been violated.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
[Hospital/Clinic Name] complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. [Hospital/Clinic Name] does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
Accessibility Services:
- [Hospital/Clinic Name] provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
- Qualified sign language interpreters.
- Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats).
- Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
- Qualified interpreters.
- Information written in other languages.
Grievance Procedure: If you believe that [Hospital/Clinic Name] has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way, you can file a grievance with:
- [Name, title, and contact information for the grievance officer]. You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
- Online at: [OCR Complaint Portal link]
- By mail at: [Address]
- By phone at: [Phone number]
Additional Resources
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR): For more detailed information and resources on non-discrimination in healthcare.
- Patient Advocacy Groups: Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Patient Advocate Foundation can provide additional support and resources.
For specific details, you can refer to the non-discrimination policy documents provided by your healthcare provider or consult their website.