ASSESSING AWARENESS OF PATIENTS' RIGHTS AMONG PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Mrs. Lenya Ann Mohan

Page No.9-13

Patient rights are fundamental to healthcare provision and ensure the dignity, autonomy, and well-being of individuals. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess awareness of patients' rights among patients and healthcare professionals in a Tertiary Care Hospital. A validated questionnaire based on the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) standards and the patients' charter of rights was administered to 350 patients. The findings highlighted variations in awareness levels, with specific groups demonstrating higher awareness. The study emphasizes the importance of improving awareness among patients and healthcare professionals and suggests strategies such as enhancing readability of rights charters, developing patient education materials, and incorporating patients' rights education in medical teaching institutions.
Keywords: patient rights, Healthcare, Patients' charter.