Patient Rights and Responsibilities

PATIENT RIGHTS

Each patient treated by LifeStance Health has the right to:

1. Be given verbal and written notice of rights and responsibilities in a language and manner that ensures the patient, the representative, or surrogate understands.
2. Be treated courteously, with respect and dignity – free from any act of discrimination or reprisal.
3. Receive care services without discrimination based upon race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics), handicap, disability, or source of payment.
4. Have access to an interpreter whenever possible for limited English proficiency.
5. Accurate information regarding the competence and capabilities of the organization.
6. Receive understandable information and information sufficient to provide informed consent or to refuse care prior to treatment.
7. Be fully informed about a treatment or procedure and the expected outcome before it is performed.
8. Have appropriate good faith estimates made available prior to treatment.
9. Understand the services, fees and payment policies of the clinic.
10. With respect to personal privacy: have their personally identifiable information kept confidential; know what entities have access to that information; and make requests to access or amend that information per the Notice of Privacy Practices.
11. Receive care in a safe setting by competent and appropriately qualified personnel free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
12. For any supervised clinician, be given the name of any supervising physicians or practitioner where supervised.
13. Be provided information on the credentials of the care professionals at the clinic or virtually.
14. Appropriate information regarding the absence of malpractice insurance coverage, if the situation exists.
15. Treatment that is consistent with clinical impression or working diagnosis based on current professional knowledge.
16. For patients who receive treatment for mental illness or have a disability, in addition to the rights listed herein, have the rights provided by any applicable state law.
17. Expect the absence of clinically unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
18. Decline ongoing care, participation, or disenroll from services.
19. Expect the expedient and professional transfer to another facility when medically necessary and to have the responsible person and the facility that the patient is transferred to notified prior to transfer.
20. Accessible and available care services; information on after-hours and emergency care provided.
21. Be advised of participation in a research program; the patient shall give informed consent prior to participation in such a program; a patient may also refuse to continue in a program to which the patient previously provided their informed consent to participation.
22. Receive appropriate and timely follow-up information and “continuity of care.”
23. Receive appropriate and timely referrals and consultation, as applicable and medically necessary.
24. Refuse drugs or procedures and have a treating clinician explain the consequences of not following treatment advice.
25. Communicate complaints and receive instructions on how to use the complaint process, including standards of timeliness for responding to and resolving issues of quality and complaints.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Each patient treated by LifeStance Health has the responsibility to abide by the following, a failure in any one of these responsibilities can result in the discontinuation of care:

1. Be considerate of other members, patients, and your health care team. This includes arriving on time for appointments, and notifying staff if you cannot make it on time or if you need to cancel.
2. Treat staff and other patients with respect. Any verbally abusive or threatening behavior will not be tolerated from the patient or their representatives.
3. To avoid negatively impacting your care or your relationship with your treating clinician, we do not permit recording of care or treatment sessions in any medium.
4. Read and understand all consents you sign. Please ask questions for clarification before signing consents.
5. Ask for accommodations if tools or services would assist in your care, such as interpretation or translation.
6. Let us know if you do not understand any part of your treatment. Ask questions and take part in your care decisions.
7. Provide full cooperation and transparency with your treating clinician to ensure the best possible care.
8. Participate in the development of your treatment plan, follow it, and let your clinician know if changes need to be made.
9. Use practitioners and clinicians affiliated with your health plan for health care benefits and services, except where services are authorized or allowed by your health plan, or in the event of emergencies.
10. Be active, informed, and involved in your care, and ask questions when you do not understand your care, what you are expected to do, or the payment for the care.
11. Improve the quality and safety of your care by fully informing health professionals serving you about your medical history, medications, and any changes in your condition.
12. Be accurate and complete in giving your history including allergies and sensitivities and current health status including any medications taken (over the counter, prescription and dietary supplements).
13. Provide the LifeStance staff with all information regarding third-party insurance coverage.
14. Be familiar with your health care benefits.
15. Carry identification with you.
16. Fulfill financial responsibilities for all services received, as determined by the patient’s insurance carrier.
17. Pay any patient financial obligations promptly; if there is a hardship, let us know as soon as possible so we may assist you in evaluating available options, if any.
18. Regard other patients’ personally identifiable and medical information as confidential.
19. Respect the clinic’s property and equipment.
20. Notify the treating clinician if you decide to disenroll from care.

PATIENT ACCOMMODATIONS

To ensure effective communication with Patients and their Companions who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, or have limited English proficiency, we provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services free of charge to the Patient or Companion, including sign language and oral interpreters, video remote interpreting services, written materials, and real-time captioning services.

Please ask your clinician or the LifeStance Patient’s Rights Coordinator for assistance https://lifestance.com/contact/ or toll-free at 1-800-308-0994 x6.