1Associate Professor, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Apollo Health City Campus, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana
2Associate Professor, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Alluri Sitarama Raju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru, West Godavari, District, Andhra Pradesh
3Professor & HOD, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Apollo Health City Campus, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana
*Corresponding author: Dr. P. Sanjay, Associate Professor, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Alluri Sitarama Raju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-xpin , West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. E-mail: drsanjaypunuri@gmail.com Mob.: 9885419291
Online published on 16 August, 2018.
A healthy doctor-patient relationship is cardinal in effective treatment of the patient. This relationship strengthens when the physician respects the patient rights. Improvement in quality of health services is possible with the patients’ contribution in treatment process. This can be accomplished only when patients are aware of their rights. Given this, current study was taken up to evaluate patients’ awareness & practice of their rights.
This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire based study, in which the subjects, were recruited from out patient departments and in patient wards of the hospital. In & out patients of psychiatry and pediatric departments were excluded.
Of the 300 subjects, 97% had awareness that they can consent or refuse any specific or all measures and 85% knew that the doctors should keep all information about their illness confidential. Though awareness to express their grievances was high, the physicians practice to address these issues was low. Statistically significant association was observed between literacy status and awareness of patient's rights for 14 of the 15 items tested and for practice of giving information about illness, treatment options and giving opportunity in making decision.
The awareness among patients regarding rights needs to be increased, and the awareness among physicians regarding communication of all the issues to the patients needs to be increased which will increase practice of patient rights.
Patient rights, awareness, practice
