It is of exceptional importance that citizens know their rights as patients, in order to recognize the violations and to know in which way and who they can approach if they think that any of their rights are violated.
On the other hand, it is also important that patients know also their obligations, so that they can enable, among others, the health workers to do their job in better way and easily to reach the final objective – the best possible health care and achieving the best attainable level of health.
Knowledge of patients’ rights and obligations as well as rights and obligations of health workers, largely contributes to the reduction of cases of violations and improves the cooperation between the patient and medical doctor in decision-making and provision of health services.
When introducing the rights, obligations and mechanisms which are described in this brochure, one should take into account that patient is considered any person, sick or healthy, that requests or who undergoes certain medical intervention in order to preserve and promote the health, prevention of diseases and other health status, treatment or health care and rehabilitation. The notion “health“, which is a basic human right, is specified as status of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not only absence of disease or weakness.
Major role for the preparation of this brochure had the European charter on patients’ rights, which was developed in 2002 by the Active Citizenship Network (European network of civic organizations of consumers and patients), which is not a legally binding document, however, it is generally accepted as most clear and comprehensive presentation of patients’ rights. Accordingly, the division and description of each of the patients’ rights is based on this Charter and the legislative regulations, whereas their obligations and the rights and obligations of the health workers and the mechanisms for protection of rights are based on the existing legislation.
