Rights of patients - R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-17-19.1

Rhode Island grants health care facility patients numerous rights, including:

• The right to receive, upon request, the name of the physician that coordinates their care or conducts any test or medical procedure.
• The right to refuse medical treatment.
• The right to privacy “to the extent consistent with providing adequate medical care to the patient and with the efficient administration of the health care facility.” This right includes the right to the privacy and confidentiality of patient treatment records unless the law provides otherwise.
• The right to receive, upon request, “the identifies of all other health care and educational institutions that the health care facility has authorized to participate in the patient’s treatment” as well as information regarding the relationship between the facility and these institutions.
• The right to receive information prior to participating in human subjects research and the right to opt out of such research. This right does not apply if (1) the research involves life saving treatment, the patient cannot consent because of a life-threatening condition, and they lack a designated decision-maker; and (2) the facility’s institutional review board approves the research. Facilities that conduct human subjects research without consent must file a copy of the research protocol with the department of health. The department must subsequently make the protocol public.
• The right to receive, upon request, an explanation of their health care bill and to receive their bill within 30 days of their discharge.
• The right to obtain their health care record without charge if the request pertains to a Medicare appeal or workers compensation claim.