Patient’s Rights: Awareness & Implementation in Indian Healthcare System

ABSTRACT

Patient rights protect people’s well-being, autonomy, and dignity when they seek medical attention. Upholding patients’ rights is crucial to fostering a fair and just healthcare system. Any healthcare system revolves around the patient, yet in India, doctors are held in high regard and patients frequently have few rights. Healthcare financial malfeasance, prevalent in underdeveloped countries, impedes access to high-quality care. Because Indians are left to struggle in the face of subpar public health facilities and exploitative private healthcare, current patient rights are devoid of empowerment. More substantial rights are needed for patients, especially protection against financial exploitation and the power to make decisions about their treatment and end-of-life care that are legally enforceable. The study also looked at obstacles to healthcare services and communication breakdowns between patients and healthcare providers that patients encounter while trying to exercise their rights. In addition, it reinforces the legal framework and fosters a patient-centered healthcare culture—two things that are emphasized as being crucial to defending patients’ rights inside the healthcare system. The importance of encouraging a positive doctor-patient relationship based on respect for one another, clear communication, and well-informed decision-making is emphasized in the abstract’s conclusion. The goal of the study is to guarantee that a successful and efficient legal system is necessary to safeguard patients rights; the current legal system is far from ideal and so needs more fortification.

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