Patient Rights and Responsibilities
CHKD's goal is to provide you and your family with the care your child needs. If we fall short in any way, every member of your child's healthcare team is empowered to help you resolve issues on the spot. So please, ask any member of your child's healthcare team for the help you need.
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
En español: Derechos y Responsabilidades del Paciente y la Familia
You and your family are an important part of your child's healthcare team. CHKD supports open and flexible visitation for our patients and encourages the involvement of family members and friends in the patient’s care.
Please take a moment to learn about your rights and responsibilities here.
- Medical care for your child regardless of gender, race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or sources of payment for care.
- To be included in all as aspects of your child's care and have it explained in ways you can understand.
- Sign language and foreign language interpreters if needed at no cost.
- A friendly, respectful and medically safe environment that protects the privacy of your child.
- Discussions for your cultural and spiritual traditions, as well as your personal values.
- Clear instructions on how to care for your child at home.
- Answers to your financial and insurance questions.
- Help with making a decision about going elsewhere for care if that is a safe option.
- Complete and accurate information about your child's medical history, medicines, allergies and complementary or herbal remedies.
- Anything you'd like us to know about your family's religious, spiritual and cultural beliefs.
- Details about what makes your child sad, angry, afraid or worried.
- Questions or concerns you have about your child's care, medications or services performed.
- Respect for the people taking care of your child and for the other children and families here.
- Assurance that you'll follow recommended treatments, or that you understand what could happen if you don't.
- Agreement to pay for your child's care. If you have concerns about doing so, let us know.
- The opportunity to satisfy you and your child as best we can.
Aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. To protect the safety and well-being of all, CHKD Health System prohibits the following by anyone, at any time, at any CHKD location:
- Abusive or vulgar language
- Threats and intimidation
- Violent or unwanted physical contact
- Damage or destruction of CHKD property
- Weapons, alcohol, and/or drugs
Violators may be asked to leave the premises and be subject to legal prosecution. Thank you for helping us maintain the best possible environment for our patients, visitors, and staff.
If your child requires a designated support person (DSP) due to a disability, that person is allowed to accompany your child to CHKD when health care services are being provided.
Your child’s designated support person is not considered a visitor and is not subject to any restrictions on visitation.
Your child’s designated support person is allowed in addition to the total number of visitors you are allowed. If your child is admitted to the hospital or receives services that last more than 24 hours, you may elect to have more than one designated support person accompany them at different times throughout the stay, but only DSP is allowed at a time.
For the purposes of this law, a disability is defined as a physical, sensory, mental, or emotional impairment that was present prior to admission and substantially limits one or more activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, and eating or feeding.
Designated support persons are required to follow all CHKD policies designed to protect the health and safety of our patients, the designated support person, staff, and visitors. Also, the designated support person may not be able to enter into some areas of the hospital, such as the operating room. Movement around the premises may be limited where necessary to protect health and safety.
Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA was signed into law in 1996 (Public Law 104-191). Title II, subsection "F" require processes and actions to adoption of standards for security, privacy and healthcare transactions. All employees of Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Health System, including Children's Medical Group employees, have been educated about HIPAA.
Medical Records Retention Policy
CHKD Medical Group practices in Virginia retain medical records of minor children for six years after they reach 18 years of age. Adult records are kept for six years after the last date they were seen at the practice.
CHKD Medical Group practices located in North Carolina retain records of minor children for 10 years after they reach 18 years of age.
After the age limits are met the medical records are selected for destruction. Destruction is performed by HIPAA compliant destruction methods.
For information on how to obtain your child's medical record click here.
Important Note About Privacy
Out of respect for the privacy of others, please do not photograph or take videos of other CHKD patients and their visitors. Also, please do not share information about other patients. If you would like to include CHKD staff members in a photo or video of your child, please ask for their permission.
Advance Directives
This booklet explains your rights under Virginia law.
Este folleto explica sus derechos según las leyes de Virginia
CHKD understands that you are a unique individual. So are your wishes for the care you want to receive when you cannot speak for yourself.
Our Chaplaincy team is here to help patients and community members -- 18 and older -- understand their options and complete an advance directive, a legal document stating their wishes about how they would like to be cared for should they become incapacitated and unable to speak for themselves. Learn more here.