The Patient Bill of Rights….and the Hippocratic Oath
Patient Bill of Rights, and the Hippocratic Oath.
Everyone has heard of the Hippocratic oath. Do no harm. But it does not actually say that directly. What does it say?
To educate others: “To hold him who taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents, to be a partner in life with him, and to fulfill his needs when required; to look upon his offspring as equals to my own siblings, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or contract; and that by the set rules, lectures, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to students bound by this contract and having sworn this Oath to the law of medicine, but to no others.”
Holistic health: “I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgement, and I will do no harm or injustice to them. I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan.”
Putting the patient first: “Into whatever homes I go, I will enter them for the benefit of the sick, avoiding any voluntary act of impropriety or corruption, including the seduction of women or men. Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which ought not to be spoken of outside, I will keep secret, as considering all such things to be private.
So long as I maintain this Oath faithfully and without corruption, may it be granted to me to partake of life fully and the practice of my art, gaining the respect of all men for all time. However, should I transgress this Oath and violate it, may the opposite be my fate.”
Hmm. We promise to educate. To promote health. To put the patient first. To avoid any lethal treatment. To protect patient confidentiality.
How many of you have heard of the patient bill of rights? Oh yes, they exist.
You have the right:
To safe, considerate and respectful care, provided in a manner consistent with your beliefs;
To expect that all communications and records pertaining to your care will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law;
To know the health care provider responsible for coordinating your care at the Clinical Center;
To receive complete information about diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis from the physician, in terms that are easily understood. If it is medically inadvisable to give such information to you, it will be given to a legally authorized representative;
To receive information necessary for you to give informed consent prior to any procedure or treatment, including a description of the procedure or treatment, any potential risks or benefits, the probable duration of any incapacitation, and any alternatives. Exceptions will be made in the case of an emergency;
To receive routine services when hospitalized at the Clinical Center in connection with your protocol. Complicating chronic conditions will be noted, reported to you, and treated as necessary without the assumption of long-term responsibility for their management;
To know in advance what appointment times and physicians are available and where to go for continuity of care provided by the Clinical Center;
To receive appropriate assessment of ,and treatment for, pain;
To refuse to participate in research, to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of these actions, including possible dismissal from the study and discharge from the Clinical Center. If discharge would jeopardize your health, you have the right to remain under Clinical Center care until discharge or transfer is medically advisable;
To be transferred to another facility when your participation in the Clinical Center study is terminated;
To expect that a medical summary from the Clinical Center will be sent to your referring physician;
To designate additional physicians or organizations at any time to receive medical updates.
I think it is important that every patient know what is expected of the provider taking care of them. What their rights are. And given present times, I bold and underlined the portions I feel are really important to know. Remember the data from a week ago: AN EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION MEDICATION IS A CLINICAL TRIAL. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE IT.