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  Medication Assisted Treatment Patients’ Rights

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Rights and Responsibilities

1. Treatment provided will be fair and impartial regardless of race, sex, age, source of payment, etc., and conveys a sense of dignity and trust between program and patient.

2. Treatment will be provided according to accepted clinical practice.

3. Patients will be fully informed, as evidenced by a patient’s written acknowledgement, at the time of admission and during ongoing treatment (once the patient is stabilized), of their rights and responsibilities, and of all the rules and regulations governing patient conduct and responsibilities. Such rights and responsibilities are posted at the treatment site and/or provided to the patient in writing and/or by tape or video or other electronic media as appropriate, and are reviewed with the patient following admission, at the end of the stabilization period, and then if any changes have occurred. Patients who are unable to read have the rules and regulations explained verbally, and such actions documented.

4. Patients will receive adequate and humane services.

5. Patients will receive services within the least restrictive, and most accommodating environment possible. Procedures are in place to ensure the right to a medication schedule (dosing hours/schedule) which is most accommodating, and least intrusive and disruptive for most patients.

6. Patients will receive an individualized treatment plan, participate in the development of that plan, receive treatment based on the plan, and a periodic, joint staff/patient review of the patient’s treatment plan.

7. The program will provide an adequate number of competent, qualified, and experienced professional clinical staff to implement and supervise the treatment plan, consistent with patient needs.

8. Patients will be informed about alternative medications, treatment alternatives, alternative modalities, and scientific advances affecting treatment.

9. Patients will be informed about potential interactions with and adverse reactions to other substances, including those reactions that might result from interactions and adverse reactions to alcohol, other prescribed or over-the- counter pharmacological agents, other medical procedures, and food.

10. Patients will be encouraged and assisted throughout treatment to understand and exercise his/her rights as a patient, including:

a. Reporting, without fear of retribution, any instances of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of patients being served in the program.

b. A grievance and appeal process, in accordance with State laws and regulations.

c. Input into program policies and services through patient satisfaction surveys.

11. Patients will be informed regarding the financial aspects of treatment, including the consequences of nonpayment of required fees.

12. Patients will be given an assessment, acceptance into the program or, in the case of denial of admission, a full explanation and a referral to another program based upon the results of the initial assessment.

13. Programs have the responsibility to protect other patients, staff, and the public from a patient who acts out. However, programs also have a responsibility to determine the cause of that behavior so an appropriate referral to an alternative method of care can be made.

14. Patients have the right to communicate with program staff in confidence and to have confidentiality of their individually identifiable health care information protected. Patients also have the right to review and copy their own medical records and request amendments to their records.

Principles

1. Patients have the right to treatment that:

a. Is given with full informed consent  
b. Is individualized and participatory
c. Responds adequately to patient needs
d. Promotes dignity and is humane
e. Promotes autonomy and patient responsibility
 f. Protects confidentiality
g. Protects and promotes overall health and well being.

2. Program administration obtains and is responsive to patient’s feedback concerning their care.

3. Programs develop and implement policies and procedures to promote and protect patient’s rights as well as their health and well being.

4. Programs must inform patients both verbally and in writing of clinic rules and regulations and patient rights and responsibilities.

5. Programs establish procedures to cooperate in the medicating of traveling patients.

The information referenced in this poster was obtained from the CSAT Guidelines for the Accreditation of Opioid Treatment Programs which can be found at http://www.samhsa.gov

Sponsored by The Patient Support and Community Education Project

Addiction Treatment Watchdog (ATW) http://www.atwatchdog.org

Advocates For the Integration of Recovery and Methadone (AFIRM) http://www.afirmfwc.org

Advocates for Recovery through Medicine (ARM) http://www.arm-advocates.org

National Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NAMA) http://www.methadone.org

New England Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NEAMA) http://www.methadone.net

National Alliance of Methadone Advocates - Texas Division (TexNAMA) http://forums.delphiforums.com

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) http://www.samhsa.gov

SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment — Division of Pharmacologic Therapies http://www.samhsa.gov

Virginia Alliance of Methadone Advocates (VAMA) http://www.vamethadvocates.org