By/ Dr. Inas Ebeid faculty of Nursing Taibah University

Patients’ rights and

responsibilities

1

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this lecture the student nurse

will be able to:

1- define patient rights

2- explain patient rights

3- explain patient responsibilities

outlines 1- Definition of Patient and Family Rights

2- Patient and Family Rights

2-aPatient Rights:

1/ knowing Patient and Family Rights and Responsibilities: 2/ Getting Health Care:

3/ Privacy and Confidentiality:

4/ Safety and Protection:

5/ Respect and Appreciation:

6/ Participation in the Healthcare Plan:

7/ Refuse Treatment:

8/ Participation in Research Studies:

9/ Organ and Tissues Donation Policies and Procedures:

10/ Health Insurance and Financial Policy:

11/ Clear and Comprehensive Declaration Forms:

12/ Complaints and Suggestions Policies and Procedures:

--- outlines

2-b) Child Patient Rights:

2-c) Elderly Patient Rights:

2-d) Psychiatric Patient Rights:

2-e) Special Needs Patient Rights:

3- Patient and Family Responsibilities:

Introduction

Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia provides all health

services in its facilities to patients without any

discrimination. In addition, it acknowledges the rights

of patients and their families during their treatment in

its facility and expects them to fulfill the responsibilities

assigned to them.

--- Introduction

All workers in the health facility are committed to

patients' rights. They have appropriate Islamic and

social manners when dealing directly with patients and

their families. They are also expected to guide them to

Patients Relations Directorate to file their complaints or

suggestions, where the Directorate’s official protects

their rights and clarify it properly.

Definition

Patient’s Rights

Patient’s rights are policies and rules that must

be preserved and protected by the Health

facility toward patients and their families.

1) Patient and Family Rights

1/ knowing Patient and Family

Rights and Responsibilities:

• Introduce the patient to the facility mission and the patient

and family rights and responsibilities toward it.

• Give a copy of the Patient and Family rights and

responsibilities Bill to the patient when he/she enter or

register at the health facility.

• Ensure that the Bill is available at health services

departments in an outstanding place.

2/ Getting Health Care:

• Provide the patient with the right treatment in the right time without discrimination as to race, religion, believe, creed, language, sex, age or disability.

• Ensure that the patient or his/her legal guardian is fully and clearly informed about the case and health status in an understandable language.

• Have an appropriate mechanism to educate them enough to deal with the patient’s medical condition.

• Provide the patient with adequate nutrition that is appropriate for his/her medical condition.

3/ Privacy and Confidentiality:

• Discuss the treatment with the patient or his/her legal guardian

confidentiality.

• Maintain the confidentiality of the patient's information - unless

it's legally needed.

• Refuse to see anyone not concerned with providing the health

service, including visitors.

• Have separated male and female waiting areas.

• Ensure the presence of someone of the same sex as the patient

in the

----- Privacy and Confidentiality:

Patient medical record is accessible only to:

o The medical team caring for the patient.

o The quality management program team.

o The health facility research team.

o People with a written authorization of the

patient, legal guardian or legal authorities.

4/ Safety and Protection:

Provide patient with health care in a safe environment that is appropriate to the patient health condition.

• Not to isolate the patient unless it’s needed.

• Safely transfer the patient from and to the health facility .

• Forbid smoking in all the health establishment facilities, and designate specific smoking areas away from the places of health services.

5/ Respect and Appreciation:

Treat the patient with courtesy and respect, with

appreciation of his/her individual dignity, no matter of

the time or conditions.

Respect the patient’s identity by calling him/her with

his/her official name.

Respect the patient’s cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and

personal values, beliefs and preferences.

Asses and manage the patient pain appropriately.

6/ Participation in the Healthcare Plan:

Provide the patient with complete and updated information about the diagnosis and treatment in an understandable language.

Introduce the patient to the identity and professional status of the health care providers responsible of his treatment.

Discuss the potential complications, risks, benefits and the alternatives to the proposed procedures .

Provide the patient or his/her legal guardian with needed information before any treatment procedure or surgery.

Inform the patient of the kind of interventions and medications used in the treatment.

7/ Refuse Treatment:

The patient or his/her legal guardian is fully responsible

of his decisions or acts in case he/she refused treatment

or didn’t follow its instructions.

The health facility will continue provide appropriate

health care to the patient according to standard medical

criteria.

Inform the patient of other alternative treatments in

case he refused the treatment.

8/ Participation in Research Studies:

Provide the patient with clear and comprehensive information about the research or the used clinical, therapeutic and medication treatment in addition to the expected outcomes.

The patient has the right to give his or her consent or refusal to participate before or during the research or the study.

•Researches and studies must be supervised and permitted by a (scientific /official) committee or authority.

9/ Organ and Tissues Donation Policies and

Procedures.

10/ Health Insurance and Financial Policy:

• The patient has the right to know in advance the

expected cost of treatment.

11/ Clear and Comprehensive Declaration

Forms:

• Provide a list of interventions that requires separate

declaration like: surgeries, anesthesia, blood transfusions,

interventions and risky treatments such as radiation,

chemical and electrical therapies.

12/ Complaints and Suggestions Policies

and Procedures:

The patient has the right to file a verbal or a written

complaint/suggestion, whether it is signed or not.

The patient has the right to file a complaint to

different levels of the health facility.

Deal with the patient and his/her family complaint as

soon as possible

Child Patient Rights:

In addition to the articles from 1 to 12, child patient is entitled to:

Examine the child by a specialized medical team.

Provide the health facility with specialized equipment and tools for

children.

Have a special policy to protect children from all kinds of

harm.

The medical team should report any violence against children to

the concerned authority.

Avoid isolating the patient unless it's medically necessary.

Elderly Patient Rights:

In addition to the articles from 1 to 12, elderly patients are

entitled to:

• Meet their special needs in the health facility.

• Provide nourishing meals for inpatients.

• Provide needed health and treatment services to the

patient.

• Facilitate making appointments and having their

medical reports in health facilities.

Psychiatric Patient Rights

In addition to the articles from1 to 12, psychiatric patients are

entitle to:

• Have a special policy to protect psychiatric patients from

all kinds of harm.

• Ensure the patient’s freedom of movement and shouldn’t

isolate him/her unless it’s medically necessary.

• Facilitate providing treatment services by allocating

mental health clinics in the health facility.

• Provide suitable education and rehabilitation methods for

long-stay patients.

Special Needs Patient Rights:

In addition to the articles from 1 to 12, special needs

patients are entitle to:

Provide the health facility with specialized equipment

and tools for special needs patients.

Have a special policy to protect special needs

patients from all kinds of harm.

Provide the health facility with suitable aisles and

bathrooms.

Companion’s Rights:

• Have clear policies in the health facility regarding patient

companions.

• Provide adequate nutrition.

• Provide mattresses or chairs that are used according to

the adopted regulations in the health facility.

Visitor’s Rights: Visitors are entitle to:

• Have suitable visiting hours.

• Have clear policies in the health facility in order to deal

with visitations in exceptional cases.

Patient and Family Responsibilities:

Patient and Family Responsibilities:

Preserving the properties of the health facility and others.

Using the facilities and equipment in the health facilities safely and correctly.

Treating all personnel, patients and visitors with courtesy, and respect.

Following the general rules in addition to respecting others cultural, spiritual and personal values and beliefs.

Respecting the privacy of others.

Following health facility regulations and instructions.

Observing safety and security regulations in the health facility.

Keeping appointments and notifying the health facility when the patient is unable to do so for any reason.

Patient and Family Responsibilities:

Following the rules and instructions:

Presenting personal identification.

Providing complete and accurate information about the patient’s personal and

medical information.

Informing the health care providers of the surgeries he/she went through in addition

to the other health facilities he went to.

Reporting any changes in the patient’s health.

Notifying the physician about lack of understanding the treatment plan and

interventions.

Providing accurate and complete information about the patient’s health insurance.

Ensuring that financial obligations due for the health facility are fulfilled promptly.

Following the recommended treatment plan, where the patient or his/her legal

guardian is responsible for his/her actions and the consequences in case he/she

refused treatment

Thank you for listening