Patient / Client Rights

Clients as consumers receiving audiology or speech-language pathology services have the right to:

• Be treated with dignity and respect.
• Receive services without regard to race or ethnicity, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Know the name and professional qualifications of the person or persons providing services.
• Personal privacy and confidentiality of information to the extent permitted by law.
• Know, in advance, the fees for services, regardless of the method of payment.
• Receive a clear explanation of evaluation results, be informed of potential or lack of potential for improvement, and express their choices of goals and methods of service delivery.
• Accept or reject services to the extent permitted by law.
• Receive services in a timely and competent manner, including referral to other appropriate professionals when necessary.
• Present concerns about services and to be informed of procedures for seeking their resolution.
• Accept or reject participation in teaching, research, or promotional activities.
• Review information contained in their records, receive explanation of record entries upon request, and request correction of inaccurate records, to the extent permitted by law.
• Receive adequate notice of and reasons for discontinuation of services; an explanation of these reasons, in person, upon request; and referral to other providers if so requested.

These rights belong to the person or persons needing services. For sound legal or medical reasons, a family member, guardian, or legal representative may exercise these rights on the person’s behalf.

Reference

Model Bill of Rights for People Receiving Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology Services, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1995.