ABSTRACT
The increasing penetration of medical science in the everyday life of modern man presents a particular need to maintain an ethical framework (program), which places high priority on the protection of patients and efforts to codify their rights and obligations.
The laws that fortify and safeguard the rights of patients are concrete actions that incorporate specific measures and clear provisions and afford patients – who feel as if they are being ignored or that their rights are being violated – legal rights and legal remedies.
Rights such as the safeguarding of their health, respectful treatment in the provision of health services, the prohibition of discrimination, the right to information, the right to informed consent, the right to confidentiality and privacy, the right to freedom of choice and the right of access to medical confidentiality affect critical issues of our age, while protecting the sensitive aspects of each citizen’s personal data.
These rights constitute fundamental ethical questions in the establishment of an equal doctor-patient relationship, which is regarded as a prerequisite for effective communication on both sides, with the main objective being the success of the therapeutic process, the maximisation of patient satisfaction, compliance with the proposed treatment, the reduction of anxiety and faster recovery.
This paper aims to outline the patient’s rights and analyze the patient’s right to information and consent to medical treatment.
Key words: health, patient, right, patient’s rights, medical responsibility, informed consent, doctor-patient relationship.
