What are patients' rights and responsibilities? In healthcare, when a person seeks services related to their health, they should expect to be treated in a way that they are respected. This includes information obtained during examination by healthcare professionals. It is very important to know what rights you have as a patient and what services you will receive when seeking professional advice from healthcare professionals. If you are unaware of your rights as a patient, there are many things you need to know. All rights and responsibilities are inalienable, none of the following may be taken away because of age, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, culture, language, physical and/or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, and/or ability to pay. In all areas of the healthcare sector, these rights must be respected by those who provide a service to the public. As a new patient with any provider; the provider is obligated to provide a person with a copy of the patient's rights and responsibilities and to have the person sign the form acknowledging that he or she has received a copy for his or her records. There is a difference between a person's rights and their responsibilities as a patient. The patient's rights are protected by law. In the healthcare system, all rights listed on the form provided by providers are protected and, if violated, may be punishable by fines if found guilty in court. All providers must respect patient rights. A responsibility would be the person's obligation or duty that is accepted or acted upon. This means that a person accepts their responsibilities in exchange for… half the documents… in collaboration with the healthcare provider. If a person understands what his rights and responsibilities mean and has not just signed a document required by law; they can better understand what is needed to get the best out of the healthcare system. The person will be able to understand that they have options and can make their own choices. Additionally, a provider does not have the final say when they receive services. There will always be a need for healthcare as people are always sick in some way or are out of balance with their health in some way. There are so many specialty areas in the healthcare field that it allows a variety of specialists to participate in patient decision making. Being informed pays off. Take the time to read each of the patient rights and understand what it means to have a choice.