Patients' Bill of Right
The patients' bill of right highlights patient rights and responsibilities and the healthcare providers' responsibilities.
Sections of the Patients' Bill of Right
Access to Information (S.23 NHA)
Patient Right:
Patient have access to all relevant information in a language he understand about diagnoses and treatment progress etc.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Inform patient about services available at the facility provide medical records to authorized persons according to prevailing laws.
Patient Related Information
Patient Right:
Access records regarding scope of services, identity, skills and credentials of treating professionals and care givers from the State or Federal Ministry of Health.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Display scope of practice available, customer care, complaint box etc. provide sufficient identification when on duty, name tags etc.
Fee Related Information
Patient Right:
Full disclosure of sum of cost of treatment plan, transparent billing.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Provide immediate and sufficient intervention care prioritizing such care over factors including cost and payment. Use legal means to recover them.
Confidentiality (S.26 NHA)
Patient Right:
Privacy and confidentiality of all information and medical records save in the interest of public health.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Maintenance of a high level of confidentiality.
Quality of Care
Patient Right:
Access clean and safe environment
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Maintain records of personnel's current certificate and license. Deliver care that minimize risk and harm to patients.
Patient's Dignity
Patient Right:
To be treated with respect and dignity (this is constitutional) without prejudice to religion race ethnicity disability of socio economic circumstances.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Treat patient, human remains with care (including tissue sample).
Access to Emergency care
Patient Right:
To urgent, immediate and sufficient intervention and care in emergency prioritizing such over cost and payment.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Evaluate patients immediately with medical emergencies including prioritizing when necessary.
Visitation
Patient Right:
Receive visitation including for religious purposes according to the rules of the facility.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Inform patients and relatives of visitation rules upon admission also display such rules conspicuously.
Patient's Refusal of Care
Patient Right:
To consent or decline participation in medical research experimental procedures or clinical trials. They have power to decline care upon full disclosure of the consequences.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Secure consent of guardian in cases of minor (under 18) may detain patient in the interest of public health.
Interruption of Service by provider
Patient Right:
To be informed of impending interruption or disengagement of primary or attending professional.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Reschedule patient's appointments in the event of inevitable service interruption. e.g. Industrial Action.
Right to Quality Care
Patient Right:
Right to quality care in accordance to prevailing standards.
Complaints (S.30 NHA)
Patient Right:
To express dissatisfaction regarding service or even care provider change.
Healthcare Provider Responsibility:
Encourage patients to ask questions about services. Maintain records of complaints and redress procedures and inform patients of redress mechanism provided by the facility and regulatory bodies.
Rights of a Healthcare Provider
- Rights to impose conditions on services that may be rendered (section 21 of the National Health Act; NHA).
- Right to refuse treatment (section 21(3) of NHA).
- Right to access to health records (section 27 & 28 NHA).
- Indemnity of health care provider, officer or employer of a health care establishment ( section 22 of NHA):
- Health care workers have rights to register a complaint
- Rights contained in the Constitution.
- Health care workers have the right to considerate and respectful behaviour from their superiors and to be free from harassment, abuse, attack, verbal and mental abuse.
Responsibility of Healthcare providers (National Health Act)
- Emergency treatment (section 21 NHA) Failure to so do such a person is liable on conviction to a fine of 100,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both.
- Duty to disseminate information ( section 34 NHA).
- Confidentiality (section 26 NHA).
- Protection of health records (section 29 NHA).
- Laying of complaints (section 30 NHA).