Awareness and practice of patient's rights law in Lithuania

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Geroji medicinos praktika; Medicinos personalas; Pacientai; Paciento teisių įstatymas; Pacientų teisės; Žinojimas; Awareness; Good medical practice; Lithuania; Medical staff; Patient's Rights Law; Patients; Rights of patients.

ENBackground: Patient's rights law is intended to secure good medical practice, but it can also serve to improve understanding between patients and medical staff if both were aware of their rights. Methods: Awareness and practice of the new patient's rights law in Lithuanian health care institutions was explored through a survey of 255 medical staff and 451 patients in the four Kaunas city medical units in 2002. Participation rates were 74% and 66%, respectively. Results: Majority of the medical staff (85%) and little over one half of the patients (56%) had heard or read about the Law on Patient's Rights (p <0.001). Only 50% of professionals compared to 69% of patients thought information for patients about diagnosis, treatment results and alternative treatments is necessary (p <0.001). A clear discrepancy was indicated between physicians informing the patients (80% – 98% of physicians) and patients actually knowing (37% – 54%) their treatment prognosis, disease complications or possible alternative treatment methods. Conclusion: These results suggest a need for awareness-raising among patients to improve the practical implementation of the Patient's Rights Law in Lithuania. [From the publication]