You and Kaiser Permanente


We believe that a little prevention goes a long way. That's why we suggest getting familiar with Kaiser Permanente today, before you even need us.

Start right here, at kp.org. You can visit doctor home pages to learn about each physician's approach to care. Then register online to choose a physician, make routine appointments, email your doctor's office, and much more.

While you're getting to know us, be sure to check out our preventive care recommendations to keep you and your family healthy all year round.

We take your patient rights seriously. We honor your right to privacy and believe in every person's right to considerate and respectful care.

Member and patient rights and responsibilities

At Kaiser Permanente, we believe maintaining good health is a very important part of your well-being. Providing the quality health care necessary to maintain your good health requires a partnership between you and your health care professionals. You need information to make appropriate decisions about your care and lifestyle choices. Your health care professionals need your involvement to ensure you receive appropriate and effective health care. Mutual respect and cooperation are essential to this partnership. It's important to know what you can expect and what we need from you when you receive care from us.

Kaiser Permanente does not unlawfully discriminate, exclude people, or treat them differently because of age, race, ethnic group identification, color, national origin, cultural background, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, source of payment, genetic information, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status.

Kaiser Permanente Member/Patient/Visitor Code of Conduct: We are committed to ensuring a safe, secure, and respectful environment for everyone – including our members, patients, visitors, clinicians, providers, health care teams, and employees.

Visitors are welcome at all Kaiser Permanente facilities.  Family and friends play a key role in helping loved ones recover during and after their stay in the hospital.

Patients who are capable of making decisions have the right to choose who can visit them. This includes anyone important to the patient, regardless of age, race, ethnic group identification, color, national origin, cultural background, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status.

We expect all individuals to demonstrate civil and respectful behavior while on our premises or in virtual or home-health care interactions.

We expressly prohibit:

Abusive Language Including Threats and Slurs

  • Engaging in any action or behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as gender, racial, cultural, religious, or sexual orientation bias.
  • Engaging in any action or behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as abusive, aggressive, inappropriate, disruptive or uncivil.

Sexual Harassment

  • Engaging in behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as sexual harassment.

Physical Assault

  • Any act or threat of violence, or intimidation by means of an act or threat of violence, or behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as an act or threat of violence.

Weapons

  • Bringing a weapon to or carrying a weapon at: any KP premises, KP working environment, or KP care delivery areas.
  • The use or brandishing of any weapon or instrument to threaten or assault anyone on KP premises or in a KP working environment, including home health care services.
  • To maintain a safe, secure and respectful environment for all, we reserve the right to take appropriate measures to address abusive, disruptive, inappropriate, threatening, or aggressive behavior.  
About Your rights and responsibilities

You are our partner in your health care. Your participation in decisions about your health care and your willingness to communicate with your doctor and other health professionals help us to provide you appropriate and effective health care.

We want to make sure you receive the information you need to participate in your health care. We also want to make sure your rights to privacy and to considerate care are honored.

As an adult member, you can exercise these rights yourself. If you are a minor, or if you become incapable of making decisions about your health care, these rights will be exercised by the person having legal responsibility for participating in decisions concerning your medical care.

Your rights as a Kaiser Permanente member

You have a right to:

Participate with practitioners in making decisions about your health care. This includes the right to receive information you need in order to accept or refuse a treatment that is recommended. Emergencies or other circumstances occasionally may limit your participation in a treatment decision. In general, however, you will not receive any medical treatment before you or your legal representative give consent. You have the right to be informed about and refuse to participate in experimental care proposed by your physicians.

A candid discussion of appropriate or medically necessary treatment options for your condition, regardless of cost or benefit coverage.

Information and assurance of compliance regarding advance directives as described by the provisions of the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990. You have the right to choose a person to make medical decisions for you, if you are unable to do so, and to express your choices about your future care. These choices may be expressed in such documents as an Advanced Directive, which includes a durable power of attorney for health care or a living will. You should inform your family and your doctor of your wishes, and give them any documents that describe your wishes concerning future care.

Receive the medical information and education you need to participate in your health care to ensure a safe course of treatment. This information includes the diagnosis of a health complaint, the recommended treatment, alternative treatments, and the risk and benefits of the recommended treatment. We will try to make this information as understandable as possible. You also have the right to review and receive copies of your medical records within the established time frame and with associated reproduction costs, unless the law restricts our ability to make them available. You have the right to the consideration of ethical issues that may arise in connection with your health care.

Have information provided to you and your family about the outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes.

Receive information about the managed care organization, its services, its practitioners and providers, and members' rights and responsibilities.

Receive considerate, respectful care. We respect your personal preferences and values.

Have impartial access to treatment. You have the right to medically indicated treatment that is a covered benefit which is provided, prescribed or directed by a Medical Group physician, regardless of your race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural background, physical or mental challenge or financial status.

Be assured of privacy and confidentiality. You have the right to be treated with respect and recognition of your dignity and need for privacy. Member information will be handled in a manner to preserve and protect its confidentiality. This includes, but is not limited to, the maintenance of medical records in a secure environment and education of staff regarding confidentiality. Kaiser Permanente will not release your medical information without your authorization, except as required or permitted by law to administer benefits, comply with government requirements or participate in bona fide research or education.

Have a safe, secure, clean and accessible environment.

Participate in physician selection. You have the right to select and change physicians within the Kaiser Permanente Health Plan. You have the right to a second opinion by a Kaiser Permanente physician. You have the right to consult with a non-Kaiser Permanente physician at your expense.

Voice complaints or appeals about the organization or the care it provides. You have the right to know about resources, such as Member Services and complaint and appeals processes to help answer your questions and solve problems. You have the right to make complaints without concerns that your care will be affected. Your membership benefits booklet, the Evidence of Coverage, describes procedures to make complaints and appeals.

Make recommendations regarding the organization's members' rights and responsibilities policies. We welcome your suggestions and questions about Kaiser Permanente, its services, the health professionals providing care and members' rights and responsibilities.

Discuss charity care. You have the right to speak to a representative in our Patient Business Office if you have extenuating circumstances and are unable to pay the out-of-pocket costs of essential care and services prescribed by a Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Inc. provider. The Patient Business Office can provide information on our charity care program and its eligibility requirements. Contact the Patient Business Office at (404) 949-5112 or read more about our charity care program.

Your responsibilities as a Kaiser Permanente member

You are responsible for:

Knowing the extent and limitations of your health care benefits. An explanation of these is contained in your Evidence of Coverage.

Identifying yourself. You are responsible for your membership card, for using the card only as appropriate, and for ensuring that other people do not use your card.

Keeping appointments. You are responsible for promptly canceling any appointments that you do not need or cannot keep.

Providing accurate and complete information. You are responsible for providing accurate information about your present and past medical condition, as you understand it. You should report any unexpected changes in your condition to your health professional.

Understanding your health problems and participating in developing mutually agreed upon treatment goals to the degree possible.

Following the treatment plan agreed upon by you and your health professional. You should inform your health professional if you do not clearly understand your treatment plan and what is expected of you. If you believe that you cannot follow through with your treatment, you are responsible for telling your health professional.

Recognizing the effect of your lifestyle on your health. Your health depends not just on care provided by Kaiser Permanente, but also on the decisions you make in your daily life, such as smoking or ignoring care recommendations.

Fulfilling financial obligations. You are responsible for paying on time any money you owe Kaiser Permanente.

Being considerate of others. You should be considerate of health professionals and other patients. You should also respect the property of other patients and of Kaiser Permanente.

Reviewed by: Brandy Stephens, March 2014