What is patient care?

How is patient care a human rights issue? What is patient care? Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.1 Patient care consists of services rendered by health professionals (or non-professionals under their supervision) for the benefit of patients.2 A patient is a user of health care services whether he or she is…

Table 1.1 Codification of Patients’ Rights

What are the current practices in the area of patient care? Methods for applying human rights to patient care are diverse and occur on multiple levels of government and through engagement with private actors. A common approach to incorporating human rights norms into patient care is through the development of a code or declaration of patient rights. It is important to keep in mind that this approach does not cover the…

Table A and B, Patient Care

Table A: International Human Rights Instruments and Protected Rights and Fundamental Freedoms UDHR ICCPR ICESCR CEDAW ICERD CRC Liberty and Security of Person Art. 3 Art. 9(1) Art. 5(b) Privacy Art. 12 Art. 17 Art. 16 Expression and Information Art. 19 Art. 19(2) Art. 13, Art. 17 Bodily Integrity Life Art. 3 Art. 6(1) Art. 6(1) Health Art. 25 Art. 12 Art. 12 Art. 5(e)(iv) Art. 24 Torture or Cruel, Inhuman…

Table 1: Patient Care and the Right to Liberty and Security of the Person

Table 1: Patient Care and the Right to Liberty and Security of the Person Examples of Human Rights Violations A hospital employs excessive restraints on patients, such as tying them to a bed or wheelchair for hours each day. Mentally ill patients are confined without a set procedure or standard. There are unjustified delays in reviewing whether mentally ill patients must continue to be institutionalized. Patients are detained in hospitals…

Table 2: Patient Care and the Right to Privacy

Table 2: Patient Care and the Right to Privacy Examples of Human Rights Violations Patient medical information is open to all hospital staff, including those not involved in patient care. Patients are forced to disclose their medical diagnosis to their employer in order to obtain sick leave from work. Medical examinations take place under public conditions. Terminally ill patients are forced to remain in public wards. Staff of medical/psychiatric institutions routinely…

Table 3: Patient Care and the Right to Information

Table 3: Patient Care and the Right to Information Examples of Human Rights Violations A state fails to provide information on various health care services. For instance, rape victims are entitled to obtain post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection, but very few are aware of this option. Hospitals fail to provide information on patient satisfaction, clinical performance, and waiting lists. Physicians fail to comprehensively explain to patients the facts related to…

Table 4: Patient Care and the Right to Bodily Integrity

Table 4: Patient Care and the Right to Bodily Integrity Examples of Human Rights Violations Physicians either fail to obtain consent from patients before performing medical procedures, or do not provide patients with enough information to make an informed decision. In the case of a very young patient or a patient lacking capacity, the hospital does not allow for a substitute decision-maker. A hospital lacks standardized procedures for obtaining patients’…

Table 5: Patient Care and the Right to Life

Table 5: Patient Care and the Right to Life Examples of Human Rights Violations Due to inadequate reproductive health and prenatal care, complications from pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for young women. Ambulances fail to arrive at certain communities in a timely manner. Patients are unable to obtain low-cost medications due to bureaucratic hurdles and an overly restrictive patent regime. As a result, their life is in danger.…

Table 6: Patient Care and the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health

Table 6: Patient Care and the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard  of Physical and Mental Health Examples of Human Rights Violations Hospitals do not take adequate measures to prevent hospital-borne infections, oversee health risks following transfusions, and ensure that their tests and treatment remain of high quality. Hospitals fail to meet the needs of patients who require religious or psychological support, or do not provide treatment appropriate for the…

Table 7: Patient Care and Freedom from Torture and Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment

Table 7: Patient Care and Freedom from Torture and Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment Examples of Human Rights Violations Victims of state torture are denied needed medical care. Prisoners lack basic health services and are forced to subsist on very little food and with inadequate clothes and no heat during the winter. Mentally ill prisoners are punished for symptoms of their illness, including self-mutilation and attempted suicide. National laws restricting opioid…