Patient Code of Conduct

Thank you for choosing The Bone and Joint Center (the “Practice”) for your orthopaedic needs. We strive to provide all patients with exceptional care as soon as possible while maintaining patient and staff safety. All visitors, patients, and accompanying family members can help us by following this Patient Code of Conduct. 

As a patient visiting our Practice, we expect each patient to: 

• Treat our staff and providers with courtesy and respect.
• Follow the treatment plan that the provider has developed based on the patient’s clinical condition, personal goals, and values. This may include following the instructions of clinical staff.
• Let our staff know if the patient does not understand the treatment plan or what is expected of them.
• Keep scheduled appointments or contact the office at least 24 hours prior to an appointment to cancel or reschedule.
• Be responsible for the patient’s own actions and the consequences of those actions. If the patient refuses treatment or does not follow the provider’s instructions, the patient may experience negative outcomes.
• Meet financial obligations to the Practice. Please contact the billing office at 518-489-2666 as soon as possible if you have concerns about payment.
• Abide by Practice and public health and safety policies and regulations.
• Refrain from possessing or using non-prescribed drugs, alcoholic beverages, and smoking or vaping products while on our premises.
• Be courteous with the use of your cell phone and other electronic devices. When interacting with our staff, patients are expected to put their devices away unless agreed upon by the provider for purposes of facilitating care. 

Our Practice has a zero-tolerance policy for aggressive behavior by patients toward our staff, providers, and other patients. The following are prohibited and may be grounds for immediate removal from the premises and/or discharge from our Practice: 

• Failing to comply with the Patient Code of Conduct.
• Possessing, or claiming to possess, firearms or any other weapon while on our premises.
• Intimidating, harassing, assaulting, or threatening staff or other patients.
• Threatening violence verbally or through phone calls, letters, voicemail, email, or other forms of written, verbal, or electronic communication. Damaging equipment or property.
• Making menacing or derogatory gestures.
• Making racial, cultural, or sexual slurs or other derogatory remarks.
• Repeatedly missing your scheduled appointments without providing at least 24 hours’ prior notice.
• Repeatedly being late for your scheduled appointments.
• Not following the provider’s treatment plan or instructions for a high-risk diagnosis.
• Failing to pay cost share amounts billed to the patient for services provided. 

As a patient, if you are subjected to any of these behaviors or witness such inappropriate behavior, please report it to any staff member.