As a patient at Memorial Sloan Kettering, you, your caregivers, and your family have certain rights when it comes to your care. At the same time, MSK has established policies and procedures that allow us to provide the best care possible, as well as to ensure that everyone we care for feels respected, heard, and understood.
MSK’s patient representatives are advocates for our patients and families. Patient representatives can explain policies, help patients and families communicate with their healthcare teams, and help resolve conflicts. They make sure that any concerns you have about your care are addressed appropriately. They can also interpret the Patients’ Bill of Rights as well as help you fill out a Healthcare Proxy form.
The team can be most helpful when you let them know about a situation while it is occurring rather than after it has happened, so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
See below for information on what the Patient Representative Department can help you with, when and how to call them.
Do I have to be a patient to call a patient representative?
No. MSK patients, their family members, visitors, and staff can all contact a patient representative.
When should I call a patient representative?
Patient representatives are your advocates. If you have any complaints, concerns, or requests about your care, don’t hesitate to contact them. These are some common things the department can help with:
- understanding an MSK policy or procedure
- answering questions about your rights as a patient
- communicating your needs or questions to MSK staff
- documenting a formal statement, including a compliment, and/or investigating a complaint about your care
- completing a healthcare proxy form, a living will, or other advance directive
- notary public services
What is the best way to contact a patient representative?
You can call, email, fax, or visit the Patient Representative Department, which is located in Memorial Hospital, at 1275 York Avenue, in room M103B. You can call the department at 212-639-7202, fax at 212-717-3118, or email at [email protected]. Patient representatives are available Monday through Saturday from until Outside of those hours, the administrator on call will assist you at 212-639-2000.
Can I report a complaint without giving my name?
Yes, you can make an anonymous complaint. But the investigation and follow-up may be more difficult to do because the representative will not have the benefit of specific information of the case.
You Have a Right to Privacy
If you believe your right to privacy has been violated, we encourage you to contact a patient representative.
You may also contact the MSK Compliance Department’s Privacy Office. You can call us at 646-227-2056, email us at [email protected], or mail us a letter at the Privacy Office, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
Regardless of how you file a privacy complaint, no one at MSK will punish you or take action against you for doing so.
- Notify the New York State Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services online or by calling 1-800-804-5447.
- Report an incident or concern to the Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that accredits healthcare organizations and programs in the United States.
- Contact Livanta LLC, a quality improvement organization that works under the direction of an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, if you have Medicare.