Do you know your rights as a patient in hospital?
This World Patient Safety Day, know your rights as a patient.
South Africa's health sector is full of horror stories of people who have lost their lives as a result of medical negligence.
R8-billion was paid out for medico-legal claims in 2021 and R855.7-million in 2022, reports the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG).
Some people go to hospitals to receive help but end up coming home with more complications; in other cases, people even die due to medical negligence.
This is why it is important for you to know your rights as a patient.
All citizens have a right to healthcare services.
As the world observes World Patient Safety Day, countries around the globe continue to work hard to ensure they are moving towards eliminating avoidable harm in healthcare.
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Below are the rights that you need to know if you are a patient in hospital. The information is taken from the Patient Rights Charter from the Department of Health.
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A healthy and safe environment
Everyone has the right to a healthy and safe environment that will ensure their physical and mental health or well-being, including adequate water supply, sanitation and waste disposal as well as protection from all forms of environmental danger, such as pollution, ecological degradation or infection.
Participation in decision-making
Every citizen has the right to participate in the development of health policies and everyone has the right to participate in decision-making on matters affecting one’s health.
Access to healthcare
Everyone has the right of access to health care services that include:
i. receiving timely emergency care at any health care facility that is open regardless of one's ability to pay;
ii. treatment and rehabilitation that must be made known to the patient to enable the patient to understand such treatment or rehabilitation and the consequences thereof;
iii. provision for special needs in the case of newborn infants, children, pregnant women, the aged, disabled persons, patients in pain, person living with HIV or AIDS patients;
iv. counselling without discrimination, coercion or violence on matters such as reproductive health, cancer or HIV/AIDS;
v. palliative care that is affordable and effective in cases of incurable or terminal illness;
vi.a positive disposition displayed by health care providers that demonstrate courtesy, human dignity, patience, empathy and tolerance; and
vii. health information that includes the availability of health services and how best to use such services and such information shall be in the language understood by the patient.
Knowledge of one’s health insurance/medical aid scheme
A member of a health insurance or medical aid scheme is entitled to information about that insurance or medical aid scheme and to challenge, where necessary, the decisions of such health insurance or medical aid scheme relating to the member.
Choice of health services
Everyone has the right to choose a particular health care provider for services or a particular health facility for treatment provided that such choice shall not be contrary to the ethical standards applicable to such health care providers or facilities, and the choice of facilities in line with prescribed service delivery guide lines.
Be treated by a named health care provider
Everyone has the right to know the person that is providing health care and therefore must be attended to by clearly identified health care providers.
Confidentiality and privacy
Information concerning one’s health, including information concerning treatment may only be disclosed with informed consent, except when required in terms of any law or an order of the court.
Informed consent
Everyone has the right to be given full and accurate information about the nature of one’s illnesses, diagnostic procedures, the proposed treatment and the costs involved, for one to make a decision that affects anyone of these elements.
Refusal of treatment
A person may refuse treatment and such refusal shall be verbal or in writing provided that such refusal does not endanger the health of others.
Be referred for a second opinion
Everyone has the right to be referred for a second opinion on request to a health provider of one’s choice.
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