Saudi Commission for Health

Specialties

Professionalism and Ethics Education for

Residents (PEER)

Patients Right

Dr. Ghaiath M. A. Hussein

Asst. Prof., Dept. of Medical Ethics

King Fahad Medical City Faculty of Medicine
King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health

Outline
Definition and classification of patient rights
Ethical basis for patients right
Patients Right related to
Treatment
Access to care
Choice of care
Participation in decision making
Privacy and Confidentiality
Seek for 2nd opinion or referral
Compassionate Palliative and EOL care

Patients Right
Rights directly related to
Treatment

Receive treatment
Consent to treatment
( accept or refuse )
Privacy
Confidentiality
Compassionate End of
Life ( EOL ) Care

Right Not directly related to

treatment
Respect
Safety
Protection for Physical
assault ( specially vulnerable )
Spiritual care
Participation in clinical
trials

The ethics behind care...

Is there a moral obligation to provide healthcare?

Treatment-Related Rights

Access to care
Choice of Care
Participation in decision making
Privacy & Confidentiality
Seek 2nd Opinion/Referral
Compassionate Palliative
And EOL care
Complaint system

1- Access to Care
Patients have the right to have access to healthcare
that meets their needs at the time they need it at a
cost they can afford.
Patients should not be denied access to care they
need or discriminated against based on their colour,
race, belief, disability, etc.
This includes their right to transport to hospital in
case of emergency (Ambulance).

Saudi Commission for Health

Specialties

2- Choice of Care
These include:

Receiving timely emergency care

Treatment and rehabilitation
Be seen of their doctor (of choice)
Provision for special needs
Counseling
Palliative care
Health information (education)

Participation in decisionmaking

Informed Consent to
Treatment
CAPACITY

VOLUNTARINE
SS

The patients has

the ability to:

Freedom from
undue influence:

Understand medical

Money

information
Social pressure
Appreciate the risks
Memorize the
information

Physical restraint

DISCLOSURE
Information:
Diagnosis
Possible prognosis
Benefits and risk of
treatment
Expected outcome
In a language
understood by the
patient

4- Continued care,
Seeking
nd
2 opinion & Referral

The patients have the right to:

Receive uninterrupted care from his/her doctor.
To be referred to other health care providers
when
necessary.
Receive a second opinion when the patient or
his/her doctor
requests one.
The second opinion must be provided by a
qualified health
care professional within the same organization.
Saudi Commission for Health
Specialties

5- Compassionate EOL Care

The patient have the right to:
Have her physical pain assessed and managed
Have Advance Directive Plan (Living Will)
Assign a family member to be the SDM
Have her/his emotional and spiritual needs
addressed
Ethical quiz: what to draw the line between
allowing your patient to die and helping your
patient to die?
Saudi Commission for Health
Specialties

6- Appeal and Complaint

Submission
The patient have the right to:
Be told on how to process her problems or
complaints
Voice his/her concerns about the care she/he
receives
Ask questions and express concerns about
hospital health
care and services, without fear of reprisal
Have his/her complaint responded to in a timely
and
satisfactory manner
Saudi Commission for Health
Specialties

Key messages
Make sure you know your patient's rights
Train your colleagues on patients rights
Knowing and providing these rights protects
you ethically and legally
Patient rights guide you to achieve your
ethical and professional goals of availing the
best service to your patients
Rights are rights NOT gifts that you may not
give!

Saudi Commission for Health

Specialties