Patient rights and self-assessment of their application by physicians employed in public healthcare facilities

Aim. Patient rights are a set of rights granted to healthcare recipients. They include objective standards which inform patients about what they can expect from public authorities and institutions directly providing healthcare services. The main objective of the study was to assess the knowledge of physicians employed in public healthcare facilities about patient rights. Material and methods. The study was conducted in the period between October 2022 and March 2023. The diagnostic survey method was employed, using a self-developed questionnaire. One hundred respondents employed in hospitals and primary health-care facilities took part in the study. Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Office) was used to compile the data. The statistical analysis was conducted with the use of the Statistica 13.1 PL statistical software. Results. 61% of physicians reported their knowledge of patient rights to be satisfactory, while 39% found it unsatisfactory. 33% of respondents were familiarized with patient rights in the course of their higher education, while 67% learned about them only in the workplace. Meanwhile, 51% of respondents were familiar with the Patient Rights and the Patient Rights Ombudsman Act. 79% indicated that they complied with patient rights in their professional practice, while 33% of respondents confirmed that they had witnessed violations of patient rights in their workplace. Conclusions. Based on research, it can be concluded that there is a need to develop and implement a training program for medical personnel on patients’ rights. Doctors’ lack of knowledge about patients’ rights influences the exercise or violation of these rights.