This document outlines patients' rights related to medical treatment. It discusses the definition and ethical basis of patients' rights, and then focuses on specific rights in more detail. These include the right to access care, choice of care, participate in decision making, privacy and confidentiality, seek second opinions or referrals, and receive compassionate end-of-life care. The document also discusses the ethics behind providing healthcare, including principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Key treatment-related rights like consent, continued care, and submitting complaints are also defined.

1. Asst. Prof., Dept. of Medical Ethics
King Fahad Medical City – Faculty of Medicine
King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences
Dr. Ghaiath M. A. Hussein
Professionalism and Ethics Education for Residents (PEER)
Patient’s Right

2.  Definition and classification of patient rights
 Ethical basis for patient’s right
 Patient’s 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
Outline

3. Patient’s 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

4. The ethics behind care...
Is there a moral obligation to provide healthcare?
• The duty to respect patient’s ability to
decideAutonomy
• The duty to do good to patientsBeneficence
• The duty not to do harm to patientsNon-Malificence
• The duty to be fair to our patients
• Fairness is not equity!Justice

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. Participation in decision-making
Receive Relevant
Information
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Post-Discharge Care
Hospital policies
Consent to
Treatment
Relevant facts
explained
Patients are free
from undue
influence
Patients assign
Substitute decision
maker
Right to Refuse
Treatment
Relevant
alternatives
explained
Risks
explained, and
consent taken

9. CAPACITY VOLUNTARINESS DISCLOSURE
•The patients has the
ability to:
• Understand medical
information
• Appreciate the risks
• Memorize the
information
•Freedom from undue
influence:
• Money
• Social pressure
•Physical restraint
•Information:
•Diagnosis
• Possible prognosis
• Benefits and risk of
treatment
• Expected outcome
• In a language
understood by the patient

10. 4- Continued care, Seeking
2nd 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Key messages
 Make sure you know your patient's rights
 Train your colleagues on patient’s 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