Your Rights as Patients: Know Them, Use Them
As patients, we may not realise our rights at the time of receiving medical care,
while healthcare providers do their best. Knowing your rights empowers you to
play an active role, gives you a voice, helps make informed decisions, protects
you from discrimination, and demands high-quality, safe and ethical care.
Use these rights respectfully and responsibly:
- Be treated with respect, dignity, courtesy and sensitivity by all
healthcare providers and staff without any discrimination, regardless of
gender, age, religion, caste or economic status in a safe and secure
environment.
- Privacy and confidentiality. Make sure that your medical information is
kept confidential and that privacy is maintained during medical
examinations and treatments.
- Receive timely and appropriate medical care that meets proper
standards of quality, safety and effectiveness, including during
emergencies, without delay.
- Be informed of complete and updated information about your health
status, diagnosis, treatment options, treating team, possible risks,
expected outcomes and costs involved. Do not hesitate to ask questions
and insist on a written diagnosis and prescription.
- Participate in decision-making, including giving informed consent; for
any tests/interventions, the line of treatment, review of progress,
outcome, etc. If in doubt, particularly before major procedures, you have
the full right to take a second opinion.
- Full access to your medical records, investigation reports, prescriptions
and discharge summaries and the right to keep them.
- Receive necessary information about post-treatment care, including
discharge instructions, medicines and necessary follow-up interventions.
You have the right to choose service providers if you want to.
- Receive a clear, itemised bill with complete details of charges for
treatment and services. You have the right to seek clarification/review
of your bill.
- Express concerns, complaints, provide feedback and share your
experiences about care delivery, treatment, billing, auxiliary services and
staff behaviour constructively without fear of being discriminated against
or denied services.
- For any experimental treatment or research, your prior informed and
voluntary written consent is required. You can decline.
