Col.( Dr) Dayananda on the Rights of Patients. First hand experiences as a Doctor and Medical Administrator in the Army and without.

1. 1
PATIENT’S RIGHTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
By: Col (Dr) Dayananda M

2. 2
Origin of Patient’s Rights and
responsibilities
• The code of ethics of medical and nursing councils
define the duties of the doctors and nurses
towards the patients. Thus these duties form the
basis of patient’s rights.

3. 3
PATIENT’S RIGHTS
• Right to expect prompt treatment in an emergency
• To receive care meeting the highest standards
regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability
gender, sexual orientation, age, military service, or
source of payment for care.

4. 4
PATIENT’S RIGHTS
• Right to information on diagnosis, treatment and
medicines.
▫ A clear explanation of proposed treatment and
procedures, including:-
▫ Potential benefits and drawbacks.
▫ Potential problems in recuperation.
▫ The likelihood of success.
▫ The possible results of non-treatment, and any
significant alternatives.

5. 5
PATIENT’S RIGHTS
• Right to obtain all the relevant information about
the professionals involved in the patient care.
• Right to expect that all communications and
records pertaining to his/her case be treated as
confidential to the extent provided by law.

6. 6
PATIENT’S RIGHTS
• Right to every consideration of his/her privacy
concerning his/her medical care programme .
• Right to refuse to participate in human
experimentation, research, project affecting his/her
care or treatment.

7. 7
PATIENT’S RIGHTS
• Right to get copies of medical records
• be informed about and participate in decisions
abouthercare, including informed consent to the
extent provided by law.
• Right to get details of the bill.
• Right to seek second opinion about his/her disease,
treatment, at his/her own responsibility.

8. 8
PATIENT’S RIGHTS
• Certain healthy persons also need the cover of
patients rights. This category includes women taking
various contraceptive pills, healthy persons who
undergo vaccination, healthy persons who volunteer
for drug trials etc.
▫ Thus rights of patients cover a wide spectrum of ill as
well as healthy persons.

9. 9
PATIENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES
• To faithfully undergo the agreed therapy.
• To follow the doctors instructions diligently.
• To take necessary preventive measures in case of
infectious diseases as per the doctors instructions.
• To be aware that doctors and nurses are also human
beings and are amenable to mistakes and lapses.
• To make the payment for the treatment, wherever
applicable, to the doctors/hospital promptly.

10. 10
PATIENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES
• To respect the autonomy of the doctors and nurses.
• To treat doctors and nurses with respect.
• To be punctual to attend the
clinics/hospital/dispensary for the treatment at the
given time.
• To preserve all the records of one’s illness.
• To keep the doctor informed if the patient wants to
change the hospital/doctor.

11. 11
Thank you