PATIENT RIGHTS
M.B.B.S., PGD Applied Psych., CDE,
DR. AATIR H. RAJPUT MSc. Psych., CRCP,. Dip. GCP. PGD
CBT, CHPE, CME, MD – Psychiatry,,
Assistant Professor – Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Fellowship in Child & Adolescent
Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro
Psychiatry (MHPE, DHEP Dip Epi-
biostat)
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this lecture, students will be able:
To articulate the ethical and legal foundations of patient rights,
including the principles of informed consent and autonomy in
medical decision-making.
To critically evaluate real-life clinical scenarios involving Patients
Rights
PATIENT RIGHTS
Fundamental to ethical, legal, and
compassionate healthcare.
Enshrined in medical codes, institutional
policies, and law.
Ensures respect, dignity, and autonomy in
medical care.
Right to Information: Diagnosis, treatment options,
risks, and prognosis.
Right to Choose: Consent or refuse treatment.
Right to Privacy & Confidentiality: Medical records
CORE protected by law.
Right to Emergency Services: Access to care
regardless of ability to pay.
RIGHTS Right to Respect & Non-Discrimination: Equal
treatment regardless of gender, race, religion, or
background.
HIPAA (US) or Data Protection laws (other countries)
protect health information.
LEGAL &
Hospital charters and national medical ethics codes
INSTITUTIONAL
uphold patient rights.
PROTECTION
Violation can lead to disciplinary action, civil liability,
or criminal charges.
INFORMED CONSENT
Informed consent is a process, not just a
signature.
It ensures the patient understands and
agrees voluntarily to a medical intervention.
Central to autonomy and ethical medical
practice.
Disclosure
• Explanation of procedure, risks, benefits, alternatives.
ELEMENTS Comprehension
• Patient understands the information.
Voluntariness
OF • Decision made freely, without coercion.
Competence
INFORMED • Patient has capacity to decide.
Consent
CONSENT • Clear, affirmative agreement (oral or written).
Expressed Consent:
• Verbal Or Written
TYPES OF Implied Consent
• In emergencies or minor procedures
CONSENT
Proxy/Surrogate Consent
• Given by a legal guardian or representative if
patient lacks capacity.
LEGAL & ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Consent must be specific, timely, and documented.
Procedures without valid consent may be considered battery.
Pediatric, psychiatric, or unconscious patients require special consent
protocols.
INTENTIONAL
NON-DISCLOSURE
A healthcare provider deliberately withholds
medical information from a patient.
Done to avoid distress, protect relationships,
or due to assumptions about patient
comprehension.
ETHICAL TENSIONS
Autonomy vs. Beneficence: Is it right to protect a patient by hiding the
truth?
Risks undermining trust in the healthcare provider.
May violate legal obligations for full disclosure.
Acceptable vs. Unethical Non-Disclosure:
Acceptable in limited cases (e.g., when disclosure would cause immediate
harm — “therapeutic privilege”).
Unethical when used to manipulate decisions or conceal medical errors.
Patients must be given honest, compassionate explanations.
Myocardial Infarction
WHAT TO
End Stage Cancer
DO?
Dialysis Support
PATIENT SELF-
DETERMINATION ACT (PDSA)
U.S. Federal Law enacted in 1990.
Requires healthcare facilities to inform
patients of their rights to:
Make decisions about their care.
Accept or refuse treatment.
Prepare advance directives (living will,
durable power of attorney).
Promote autonomy and planning in medical
care.
PURPOSE Prevent unnecessary or unwanted medical
interventions.
OF PSDA Empower patients in case they lose decision-
making capacity.
• Specifies what treatments a
patient does or doesn’t want.
Livin
g Will
ADVANCE
DIRECTIVES
• Appoints someone to make
Healt decisions on the patient’s behalf
UNDER PSDA hcare
Proxy
A 55-year-old male with chronic kidney disease
1- Was the patient’s right to
informed consent fully respected (CKD) is referred for an MRI with contrast to
in this scenario? investigate persistent lower back pain. The radiology
staff prepares the patient, but the radiologic
2- What are the ethical
technologist notices that no recent kidney function
implications of proceeding with
or delaying the MRI scan? tests (serum creatinine or GFR) are available. When
asked, the patient reveals he was not told about the
3- How can communication risks associated with contrast agents, particularly in
among healthcare providers and
patients be improved in such individuals with kidney problems. The referring
cases? physician is unavailable, and the technologist must
decide whether to delay the procedure or proceed.
A 28-year-old female visits the emergency
1- How should the radiologic
technologist respond to the department after a minor car accident. The
patient’s refusal of the scan? attending doctor orders an abdominal X-ray to
rule out internal injury. During the pre-scan
2- What are the patient’s rights
screening, the radiologic technologist asks the
in this situation regarding
radiation safety and autonomy? patient about possible pregnancy. The patient
confirms she may be pregnant but is unsure.
3- What alternatives could be She expresses concern about radiation
considered to respect both the
patient's rights and clinical exposure and refuses the X-ray. The doctor
needs?
insists the scan is necessary and pressures the
staff to proceed.
OBJECTIVES:
Are students able:
To articulate the ethical and legal foundations of patient rights,
including the principles of informed consent and autonomy in
medical decision-making.
To critically evaluate real-life clinical scenarios involving Patients
Rights