Cancer patients have a series of rights guaranteed by law from diagnosis to the end of treatment. Know the main guidelines that make up the rights and duties.
Receive dignified, compassionate, attentive and respectful care, without any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on sex, race, color, religion, illness, disability, national or ethnic origin, income or any other form of discrimination that restricts their rights;
Be identified by their first and last name and be addressed by their preferred name;
Have their cultural, religious and other particularities respected, especially when belonging to vulnerable groups;
Receive or refuse moral, psychological, social or religious assistance;
Have their privacy, individuality and safety ensured at all times during care, including a safe environment, procedures and supplies (requiring all materials used to be thoroughly sterilized or disposable), as well as specific protection in situations of vulnerability;
Consent to or refuse the presence of students and healthcare professionals not involved in their care;
Have access to all areas intended for patients in cases of physical disability;
Know the name, professional category and position of the person providing care, with the institution’s professionals identifiable by uniforms and/or legible identification badges;
Have their image, identity and individuality preserved, as well as the confidentiality of information about their health condition and treatment and other personal information, even after death, except as provided by law;
Be actively involved in their healthcare, participating in decisions about their care and treatment plan;
Receive clear, objective and understandable information about their diagnosis, treatment and possible alternatives, the risks and benefits of procedures and the adverse effects of prescribed medications;
Receive verbal information and, upon request, written explanatory reports about their diagnosis and treatment from the physician of their choice and other members of the multidisciplinary team at any stage of treatment;
Have a legible medical record containing standardized documents with information about their medical history, the onset and progression of their illness, supplementary tests, therapeutic measures, descriptions of procedures performed and other relevant reports and notes;
Restrict access to their medical record and treatment information, except for information shared with the professionals responsible for their care, health plan and health insurance providers, and access necessary for monitoring and auditing the quality of care;
Request a copy of their medical record at any time, in accordance with applicable legislation;
Change, at any time during treatment, any information previously reported;
Request clarification of documents and forms presented for signature so they can understand them and make an informed choice;
Seek a second opinion regarding their diagnosis or treatment and, if desired, replace the physician responsible for their care;
Receive information, guidance and, if necessary, training on self-care when continuing treatment at home;
Freely, voluntarily and knowingly consent to or refuse procedures, diagnoses, treatment plans and clinical assessments after receiving adequate information, except in life-threatening situations when unconscious;
Receive appropriate treatment to minimize pain, according to available therapeutic options;
Receive, before administration, full information about medications to be given, their origin and expiration date, prescribed dosage, possible adverse effects and other information intended to ensure patient safety;
Be accompanied, if they wish, during consultations, treatments, examinations and procedures by a person of their choice, unless the physician or healthcare professional responsible considers that the companion’s presence could harm the health, privacy or safety of the patient or others;
Formally designate a family member or responsible person to access information and make treatment decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so;
The patient’s companion has the right to ask questions and verify that patient safety procedures are being followed;
Receive timely, quality care in clean and appropriate facilities, require the institution to comply with all infection prevention and control standards, and receive care from properly educated and trained healthcare professionals;
Express concerns and complaints to the institution through available communication channels and receive relevant information and clarification;
Access detailed statements of expenses related to treatment, examinations, medications and other medical procedures;
Know the origin of blood and blood products before receiving them, including their source, expiration date and serological tests performed, with this information recorded in their medical record for future reference;
Receive legibly written prescriptions bearing the healthcare professional’s legible name, signature and registration number with the Regional Council of Medicine;
When referral to another healthcare facility is recommended, receive a medical report summarizing their health condition, possible diagnoses, treatments performed and brief clinical history;
Have access to competent interpreters when their language differs from the language predominantly used at the institution;
Access an itemized breakdown of charges for any procedure performed on a private-pay basis;
If elderly, have the rights guaranteed by the Statute of the Elderly respected;
If a child or adolescent, have the rights guaranteed by the Statute of the Child and Adolescent respected;
If under 18 years of age, have their interests represented by their mother, father or legal guardian, who may actively participate in decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and receive direct guidance and explanations, unless a court order provides otherwise;
Female patients have the right to be accompanied by an adult at any stage of care at Oncoclínicas facilities, pursuant to Federal Law No. 14,737/2023;
If a female patient does not designate a companion for procedures involving sedation or a reduced level of consciousness, the facility will ensure that a female healthcare professional accompanies her during the procedure. A patient who chooses not to exercise this right must formally decline it in writing. Exceptions to this rule may apply and will be validated by the Medical Boards of the respective facilities;
Receive examination results clearly, legibly and accurately, within the stated timeframe;
Be informed whether a treatment, medication or diagnostic method is experimental, and consent to or refuse participation in health research, in accordance with specific research ethics regulations;
Have access to palliative care, free from pain, and choose the place of their death, subject to the rules of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) or the applicable healthcare plans. The patient’s family members have the right to receive support in coping with the illness;
Have their written advance healthcare directives respected and ensure that the institution keeps a copy in their medical record, if they have such directives.
Duties
Respect the rights of other patients, employees and service providers, treating them courteously and using the available communication channels to submit complaints;
Take care of and be responsible for institutional property made available to them;
Comply with the prohibition on smoking, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs on the institution’s premises; this prohibition also applies to companions;
Be responsible for valuables brought into the institution;
Provide complete information about their health history, surgical procedures, health problems, use of medications or any other substances, whether provided by the patient or their designated representative;
Obtain full information about their treatment or designate a representative to receive all information;
State whether they have understood the information received and ask questions if they have doubts;
Follow the recommendations of the physician and the entire multidisciplinary team providing care, accepting responsibility for the consequences of not following them;
Accept responsibility when refusing treatment;
Inform the clinic if unable to attend scheduled consultations, examinations, treatments or procedures, if discontinuing prescribed treatment, or if unexpected changes occur in their condition;
Fulfill their financial obligations to the institution by paying or arranging payment of expenses not covered by private health plan operators, for any reason, or excluded from contractual coverage;
Designate their representative and the person financially responsible for their care, except in urgent and emergency situations;
Patients covered by private healthcare plans must notify the institution and their attending physician of any changes to their plan coverage or other restrictions that may affect continuity of treatment;
Have the official photo identification documents required for care available and present them whenever requested;
Refrain from making image recordings (videos and photographs) or audio recordings on the institution’s premises or during any interaction with its professionals, including remotely, unless prior written authorization is obtained from the institution;
Strictly follow preparation instructions for procedures/examinations (such as fasting, suspension of medications, fluid intake, self-collection of buccal mucosa samples or hygiene);
Follow the instructions given by healthcare professionals during procedures;
Comply with the institution’s rules and regulations, including scheduled times and restrictions on companions;
For patients under 18 years of age, the above duties must also be followed by their parents or guardians.
