Understand your rights as a patient.
Understanding your rights as a patient is empowering and will help you make informed decisions about treatments and medical procedures. Canada has a publicly funded health care system. Under this system, Canadian residents have reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and health care services without paying out-of-pocket. However, instead of having a single national plan, we have 13 provincial and territorial health care insurance plans. This is why health care laws and procedures may vary by location.
This guide is a source of information for individuals who are eligible for publicly-funded health services in Canada – including Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Being informed helps us think about our values and consider what quality of life means to us. It encourages us to think about our wishes in the event of future illness, and what treatments – if any – we would want. Once we understand our rights, we can record our wishes and share them with our loved ones and health care provider(s). This will let others know what we want if we can’t speak for ourselves or don’t have the capacity to make our own health care decisions.
Make an Advance Care Plan
Don’t leave your end-of-life care to chance. Our Advance Care Planning (ACP) Kit invites you to think about and express your wishes for health care and treatment at the end of life.
Empower. Inform. Protect your rights.