PGIMER gives patients right to seek second opinion

An updated charter of patients’ rights and responsibilities has been adopted following communication from the Union ministry of health and family welfare

A patient has the right to seek a second opinion from an appropriate clinician of their choice, for which the hospital has to provide all records and information available with the treating doctor, an updated charter adopted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, states.

A charter of patients’ rights and responsibilities is to be observed by the institute, according to communication from the Union ministry of health and family welfare. It will be the hospital’s responsibility to provide adequate relevant information about nature, cause of illness, proposed investigations, expected results of treatment, possible complications and expected costs, states the communication.

Dr Jagat Ram, director, PGIMER, said the updated charter puts focus on the patient’s rights to have knowledge about all the available treatment options.

“It is about empowering patients in the ambit of ethics that the medical professional has to follow. They must have knowledge about the nature of disease and expected results of treatment. It is a patient’s right to ask necessary and appropriate questions regarding illness and we are emphasising on it,” he said.

The patient will also have the right to access a copy of the case papers, patient records, investigation reports, and detailed bill, and also to choose alternative treatment if options are available.

Other rights and responsibilities

The hospital will also ensure the presence of another woman during the physical examination of a woman patient by a male practitioner.

“There will be no discrimination in treatment based upon his or her illness or conditions including HIV status or other health condition, religion, ethnicity, gender (including transgender), age, sexual orientation, linguistic or geographical/social origins,” the charter further states.

The patient’s responsibilities, on the other hand, will include providing all health-related information, cooperating with doctors during examination and treatment, following all instructions, paying hospital’s agreed fees on time, respecting the dignity of doctors and other hospital staff, and never resorting to violence.