Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Patient Rights

Patient rights refer to patients’ legal and ethical entitlements when receiving healthcare services. These rights are intended to protect patients’ interests and well-being while ensuring they are treated equally and in confidentiality.

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), the leading healthcare quality accreditation body in India, has defined patient rights under their hospital standards.

Some of the key patient rights that patients should be aware of include the following:

Right to Information: Patients have the right to be informed about their diagnosis, treatment options, and the risks and benefits associated with each option. Healthcare providers should provide this information in a language the patient can understand.
Right to Informed Consent: Patients have the right to consent before any medical procedure or treatment is performed. This means that they should be informed about the nature of the procedure, the risks and benefits, and any alternative treatments available.
Right to Confidentiality: According to patient rights and responsibilities, the doctors and other health care providers are ethically bound to hold all information regarding the patient’s illness, diagnosis, and treatment confidential. Patients have the right to keep their personal and medical information confidential and share it only with the doctors and the caretakers unless required by law.
Right to Dignity and Respect: It is the utmost responsibility of the hospitals to respect the dignity of the patient despite their gender. A female patient must always have a female health provider during medical treatment or procedure. This right also claims to be treated respectfully, regardless of race, religion, or social status.
Right to Choose: Patients have the absolute right to choose their healthcare provider and actively participate in decisions about their care. Patients can always seek a second opinion on their medical condition and choose the best option. It is also crucial for healthcare providers to inform them of all the risks and benefits associated with the treatments and for them to make the final decision.
Right to Quality Care: All patients have the right to receive safe, effective, and high-quality healthcare services. According to the guidelines of the NABH, it is one of the patient’s rights to be given the best possible medical care without any discrimination based on caste, religion, gender, etc.
Right to Complaint: As per the patient rights and responsibilities of NABH, all patients have the right to complain and provide feedback about their healthcare experience without fear of retaliation. They can officially lodge a complaint with the designated officer in the healthcare vicinity and take a course of action if wrong has been done.
Right to Communication: A patient has the absolute right to know whether support services are offered. It is their right to ask for accommodations if they suffer from conditions like speech or vision impairment, case of language barriers, etc.
Right to Transparency in Transactions: The patients have the right to get and to ask for the receipt of all their medical procedures and treatments, from being informed before the denials of the total expenses to the provision of health schemes and insurance. The patients have the right to ask for all this and more regarding the billing and finance of their treatments.
Right to Pain Management: A patient has the right to know about pain management and pain relief methods. There must always be healthcare providers who can quickly and effectively address the problem and start medication for quick relief.
Right to Transfer and Continuity of Care: Unless the patient has been explained clearly why they are being shifted to another ward or hospital, they have the right to stay exactly where they are. They have the right to question their practitioner and ask for the best healthcare options.

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Patient Responsibilities

Patient responsibility in the hospital refers to patients’ expectations and obligations towards their own healthcare. By fulfilling these responsibilities, patients can improve the quality of care provided and ensure their safety and well-being.

Patient’s rights and responsibilities in hospitalsettings are crucial for ensuring patients receive high-quality healthcare that respects their autonomy and dignity.

These rights and responsibilities are enshrined in various laws, regulations, and accreditation standards, such as those established by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) in India.

Some of the key patient responsibilities include:

Providing Accurate Information: Patients are responsible for providing accurate and complete information about their medical history, current health status, and any medications they are taking. All relevant information must be shared to ensure a safe and effective line of treatment.
Following Instructions: Patients have a responsibility to follow the instructions given by healthcare providers, including taking medications as prescribed, attending appointments, and following any dietary or lifestyle recommendations.It is also their responsibility to keep the healthcare providers informed of any changes they are making from what has been recommended.
Respecting Healthcare Providers: Patients are responsible for treating healthcare providers with respect and dignity and refraining from verbal or physical abuse. They are responsible for ensuring they are not disturbing other patients and the hospital environment with their behaviour.
Taking Care of Personal Belongings: The hospitals are not accountable for taking care of the valuables and belongingness of the patients. Patients are responsible for taking care of their personal belongings in the hospital, including valuables and medical equipment.
Paying for Services: Patients are responsible for paying for healthcare services directly or through insurance and providing accurate and timely billing information. The patient’s responsibility in a hospital is to ensure that no delays and dues are pending.

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