Welcome from Our Patient Representatives

Dear Patient,

Welcome to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

I would like to point out two documents we provide when you begin your care at MSK. Your Rights as a Hospital Patient includes important information about your rights as a hospital patient and how to exercise them. This information was prepared by the New York State Department of Health and is distributed to all patients admitted to hospital in this state.

The second document, Health Care Proxy, is a guide for patients and those who will make health care decisions for them through an advance directive. We encourage you to complete a health care proxy form to ensure that your wishes to accept or refuse medical treatment can be honored should you be unable to speak for yourself. It is MSK’s policy to honor Health Care Proxy documents, Living Wills, and appropriate oral directives regarding acceptance, refusal, and discontinuation of treatment to the full extent permitted by law. Your ability to receive care here, however, does not depend on whether or not you have prepared an advance directive.

Our Patient Representative Department is available to help you with any questions or concerns about your rights as a hospital patient and can help you complete or change an advance directive. The Patient Representative serves on your behalf as an ombudsperson to resolve problems that may arise during your treatment. You may contact a Patient Representative by calling 888-510-6664 or 212-639-7202.

You have a right to file with any of the following agencies if you are still not satisfied with how the hospital has addressed your concerns:

Thank you,

Julia Ramirez
Director, Patient Relations
Hospital Administration
1275 York Avenue
New York, New York 10065