Health

Mass General Brigham releases ‘code of conduct’ for patients

“Some violations of this code may lead to patients being asked to make other plans for their care.”

The corporate offices of Massachusetts General Brigham hospitals in Assembly Square in Somerville. Lane Turner / The Boston Globe, File

By Dialynn Dwyer

November 4, 2022

1 minute to read

Mass General Brigham is instituting a patient code of conduct to make clear that discriminatory and harassing behavior will not be tolerated.

The code of conduct prohibits physical or verbal threats; offensive comments about someone’s race, accent, religion, gender, or sexual orientation; refusing to see a hospital employee because of such personal traits; sexual or vulgar actions or words; and disrupting the care or experience of another patient.

According to the hospital system, any patient who engages in such behavior will be given a chance to “explain [their] point of view,” but such conduct could result in the patient no longer being welcome at the institution.

“We will always carefully consider your response before we make any decisions about future care at Mass General Brigham,” the health care provider’s website reads. “Some violations of this Code may lead to patients being asked to make other plans for their care and future non-emergency care at Mass General Brigham may require review, though we expect this to be rare.”

Anyone who witnesses or is the recipient of such conduct is being urged to report it.

“We recognize the threat of disrespectful, racist or discriminatory words and actions on members of our community,” the company said in a statement obtained by Boston 25 News. “Just as we have policies for our employees and clinicians to treat each other and every patient and visitor with courtesy and respect, this policy helps to define appropriate behaviors for patients, family members, visitors and research participants.”

Massachusetts Nurses Association President Katie Murphy told the station that Mass General Brigham is the first hospital system in the state to implement a code of conduct for patients.

“We’re seeing threats of violence,” she said. “[Patient behavior] has certainly gotten worse since the pandemic. People will be shown that there’s really a policy and you cannot treat health care providers like that.”