Assessing European patients' rights in Romania

Assessment coordinated by the Romanian Multiple Sclerosis Society

About the PartnershipOur society accepted the partnership with ACN for assessing European patients' rights because it is an organization for patients in Romania and is directly interested by the patients rights.

Also, our organization working to improve patients' quality of life in Romania through their active involvement, active public participation and partnership development.

In this project we wanted to evaluate knowledge of European patients' rights in three major hospitals in Romania and if they are implemented.

Ministry of Health in Romania-In Romania, the first contact with Ministry of Health was difficult because of the consequences of the old system of government. Always citizens and citizens organizations have taken the first step in dialogue with central authorities.-To receive questionnaire responses from the Ministry of Health, we had to explain that the purpose of this project is not to check and punish, but to evaluate and propose improvements and support for patients' rights.-At first, we have received incomplete questionaire from the Ministry of health and we had to ask for additions. This happened because the public health system is unstable.

Hospitals monitored- County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Cluj- Available acute care beds 1454-Universitary Emergency Hospital, Bucharest - Available acute care beds 900- Elias Universitary Emergency Hospital, Bucharest - Available acute care beds 700

Hospitals monitoring-Generaly, in monitoring the hospitals, we faced the same barriers as in the case of Ministry of Health. - But during the application of assessment tools, hospital managers wanted to share with them the final results and see what we can do better.- Hospital managers led us inside the hospital and I had the opportunity to view ambulatory areas and they have provided us jusitificative documents that we requested.- The most active hospital in assessment was: Universitary Emergency Hospital from Bucharest

European Patinets’ Right

1-Right to Preventive Measures - Resources are spent on curative measures, treatment, and less on prevention, such as cervical cancer prevention.2-Right of Access - people in Romania do not know their right to access3-Right to Information - citizens organizations in partnership with the public health system provides information on the macro level, but patients in Romania are not informed specifically.4-Right to Consent - Generaly, in Romania Patients give their consent on a form in the hospitals.5-Right to Free Choice - is not sufficiently respected this right because patients are limited resources to choice a treatment in another EU country.6-Right to Privacy and Confidentiality this right is respected beacuse the patient must complete a form in the hospitals7-Right to Respect of Patients’ Time - The assessment made , we saw that it respects this right, but sometimes, in particular happens to be violated.

European Patients’ Right

8-Right to the Quality - Patient satisfaction assessment is regularly, but development of health services depends on the resources.9-Right to Safety - Hospitals are equipped with safety measures for patients.10-Right to Innovation - in our experience, we found that hospitals use innovative equipment, but many hospitals in the country are in need of innovation for patient safety . 11-Right to Avoid Unnecessary Suffering and Pain - this right is respected in hospitals 12-Right to Personalized Treatment - Unfortunately, in Romania patients do not benefit from a personalized system for their needs.13-Right to Complain – in Romania are ways to complain, but patients are not familiar with this right.14-Right to Compensation – This possibility exists but is made , if requested by patients.

CITIZENS’ POINT OF VIEW ONPATIENTS’ RIGHTS

-One of the most active Organizations of pacients in Romania is Federation of Associations for Cancer Patients it is part of the Coalition for Patients with Chronic Diseases in Romania.- The opinion of this organization is that patient rights are violated in Romania and we have to contribute more to not violate the patients' rights!

ResultsPRES - Patients' Rights Euro Scores

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

CYPRUSHUNGARY

MACEDONIALATVIA

GERMANYBULGARIAROMANIAMALTA

GREECELITHUANIAPORTUGALPOLANDMEAN

FINLANDBELGIUMESTONIA

ITALYFRANCE

SLOVAKIASPAIN

UK

The patient’s rights in Romania -Hardly respected-Partly respected

Looking to score

ConclusionsThe result is not very good for RomaniaAnd this demonstrates that the health system is not focused on patients care and their interests.We have a lot of work to do in our country.

And the first step was made ->

Active citizenship as a right- In Romania, citizens already involved in civic activities;- Citizens carry out advocacy activities with patients organizations. We have many good practices in this area;-We need to involve more and to participate in policy-making.

Thank you

Cosmina DuduRomanian Multiple Sclerosis SocietyBuzaului Street No 2BOradea, Bihor, ROMANIAphone: +40 725 544 833E-mail: cosmina.dudu@smromania.ro