Patient Bill of Rights for Pain Management

Pain can affect you in many ways. It can keep you from being active, from resting, from enjoying family and friends, from eating, and it can slow the healing process. Pain can also make you feel afraid or depressed.

You make experience different symptoms, as a result of your illness or surgery, and many people experience the symptom of pain. If you are feeling pain, you need to tell your doctor and other health care providers, including our staff, so that they can determine the best way to help relieve your pain. Getting help for your pain early can make pain treatment more effective. When there is less pain, you will probably feel more active and interested in doing things you enjoy.

You Have the Right to:

1. Information and answers to your questions about pain relief
2. Staff who care about your pain and are committed to working with you to relieve it
3. A sense that your complaint of pain is believed by your doctor and health care providers
4. Decide how much pain you are willing to tolerate and for how long
5. Choose which pain control method or methods you wish to try
6. Refuse treatment, including treatment for pain control, that you do not want
7. Discuss different kinds of pain relief choices with your doctor and AHPC staff and to know what you can expect from each

You Also have Certain Responsibilities To:

1. Tell your doctor and AHPC staff, if you have pain
2. Help your doctor and AHPC staff measure your pain
3. Discuss different kinds of pain relief choices with your doctor and AHPC staff, and what
   you expect from each
4. Work with your doctor and AHPC staff to develop a pain management plan
5. Tell your doctor and AHPC staff about your pain, and how well the treatment is working for you

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Bill of Rights, please feel free to discuss them, with our staff. Each patient will be an active, informed participant in his/her plan of care. To ensure this process, the patient will be empowered with certain rights and responsibilities, as described.

A patient may designate someone to act as his/her representative. Each patient/caregiver shall be assured of quality care while participating in the Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care program.

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