Patient's Rights And Responsibilities

Access to Information

Patient Rights
  • To have access to all relevant information in a language that the patient understands, including complete and accurate information about diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, other procedures and possible outcomes.
  • To fully participate in implementing the treatment plan and making decisions.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Seek information from the care giver about their services.
  • Understand the treatment plan.
  • Provide details about any changes occurring during, or on account of treatment.
  • Report dissatisfaction through appropriate channels provided by the facility.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Inform patient about services that are available at the facility and eligibility based on health insurance or out-of pocket costs and responsibilities.
  • Inform patient whether proposed treatment or procedure is experimental or part of ongoing research.
  • Answer questions about proposed treatment and/or procedures and provide information about potential risks, alternative treatment and/or procedures.
  • Provide the patient's medical records on request by the patient or other authorized persons, in accordance with prevailing laws.

Patient Related Information

Patient Rights
  • Access to records, including explicit information about range and scope of services available.
  • Access to record of the identity, skills and credentials of treating professionals and care providers published by the Federal/State Ministry of Health or other relevant authorities.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Request information about range and scope of services available including identity, skills and credentials of treating professionals and care providers.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Conspicuously display scope of practice and available services; and customer care phone numbers, email addresses and other contact information.
  • Communicate clearly with patient, including, providing translation in the case of language barrier, or adaptation in the case of other disabilities.
  • Ensure patient demonstrates sufficient understanding of information provided.
  • Provide sufficient identification when on duty, including displayed rosters and apparel with visible identity tags.

Fee Related Information

Patient Rights
  • Full disclosure of cost or estimation of recommended treatment plan services.
  • Transparent and itemized billing.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Pay bills or make provision for prompt payment of bills. In the event of an emergency, demonstrate ability and Intention to pay for the services.
Provider Responsibilities
  • In the event of an emergency, provide immediate and sufficient intervention and care, prioritizing such needed attention over other factors including cost and payment.
  • Care providers have a right to fees and therefore should use legal means to recover fees owed.

Confidentiality

Patient Rights
  • Privacy and confidentiality of all information and medical records unless disclosure is vital and in the interest of public health in accordance with prevailing law.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Complete, truthful and accurate disclosure of medical history, medication and complaints to the authorized and attending care giver.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Respect and maintain patient's personal records, except disclosure by operation of law or in the interest of public health.

Quality of Care

Patient Rights
  • Access to clean, safe and secure healthcare environment.
  • Access to equitable quality care and caregivers, irrespective of disability.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Explanations during treatment where necessary.
  • Not to constitute a nuisance or in anyway endanger others.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Maintain records of personnel's current certificates and/or licenses to practice.
  • Maintain a current Certificate of Standards as evidence of authorization to operate within its approved scope of practice.
  • Deliver care that minimizes risk and harm to patients, including preventable injury and errors.
  • Adopt clinical governance standards and provide the best care while protecting patients from harm, or abuse.

Patient's Dignity

Patient Rights
  • To be treated with respect and dignity, without prejudice to gender, religion, race, ethnicity, allegation of crimes, geographical location, disability or socio-economic circumstances.
  • That prior wishes of the patient or in the absence of same, of the next of kin (where legally applicable) are respected to the fullest extent practicable during last offices (at the time of death) including cultural or religious preferences, to the extent consistent with extant laws including coroners laws.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Respect and consider the rights of other patients.
  • Conduct all interactions with consideration, and respect for others.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Treat patients, human remains and tissue samples with care, consideration and dignity without prejudice to gender, religion, race, ethnicity, allegations of crimes, geographical location, physical ability and socioeconomic circumstances.
  • Ensure comprehensive information, guidance and support to bereaved relatives.
  • Prepare remains for viewing at the mortuary / rest room by relatives in compliance with guidelines for last offices unless harmful to public health, and to the extent consistent with extant laws, including coroners law.
  • Counsel and encourage patients on the disclosure of disease of public health importance (deadly, infectious or non- infectious disease) to spouse or close relatives in accordance with public health laws.

Access to Emergency Care

Patient Rights
  • Receive urgent, immediate and sufficient intervention and care in the event of an emergency, prioritizing such needed attention over other factors including cost and payment, as well as law enforcement requirements.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Recognize that emergency treatment and prioritization do not mean a waiver of obligation to pay for services.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Immediately evaluate patients with medical emergencies, including prioritization Where necessary.
  • Maintain a sufficiently responsive and efficient 24-hours uninterrupted emergency unit in the facility.

Visitation

Patient Rights
  • Receive visitors including for religious purposes according to the rules and regulations of the facility.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Recognize that health care facilities are for several people. As such, respect operational rules and systems for the safety and security of all.
  • Respect the fact that health care facilities reserve the right to modify rules to maintain decorum and ensure security of patients and care givers, provided reasonable notice of modification is given.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Inform patients and relatives of visitation rules upon admission and any subsequent modification.
  • Conspicuously display visitation rules/ schedule of the facility.

Patient's Refusal of Care

Patient Rights
  • Patients at all times, retain the control of their person and must be informed of their power to decline care upon full disclosure of the consequences of such decisions.
  • Patients have the right to consent or decline participation in medical research, experimental procedures or clinical trials in the course of treatment.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Comply with rules and regulations of the facility as well as directives, instructions and advice of attending professionals.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Recognize that minors (less than 18 years) are under the care of parents or guardians whose consent must be secured in clinical management and procedures to the extent permitted by law.
  • All medical research , experimental procedures or clinical trials must comply with approved ethical procedures.
  • Provider may detain patient in the interest of public health.

Interruption of Service Provider

Patient Rights
  • To be informed about impending interruption or disengagement of services of primary or attending professionals responsible for patient's care.
  • Methodical and practical transition of treatment for patients' safety.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Inquire about any contingency plan or other suitable alternatives with respect to continuing care.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Reschedule patients' appointments in the event of inevitable service interruption.
  • Render sufficient intervention to in-patients and emergency cases in the event of inevitable service interruption.

Complaints

Patient Rights
  • To express dissatisfaction regarding service and/or provider, including personnel changes and abuse.
Patient Responsibilities
  • Complain in accordance with redress mechanism of the facility.
  • Provide sufficient details of dissatisfaction.
  • If dissatisfied with outcomes, report to appropriate regulatory authority e.g. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and subsequently to Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), if not satisfied with the additional interventions.
Provider Responsibilities
  • Encourage patients to ask questions about the services.
  • Maintain records of complaints and redress procedure of the facility and address complaints in accordance with procedure.
  • Inform patient at onset of the redress mechanism provided by the facility and regulatory bodies, with timelines for action on complaints.