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Patients to know cost of treatment in advance

Patients in Dubai will soon have access to the total costs of health services for any treatment at hospitals beforehand, making it easier for them to make a choice.

By next month, health facilities in Dubai will have to provide a written notice regarding patients’ rights and responsibilities during their evaluation visit, according to a circular issued by the Dubai Health Authority earlier this month.

The first detailed Patient’s Charter of Rights and Responsibilities’ in the emirate will also ensure that patients are aware of their responsibilities.

As per the circular, healthcare facilities will be bound to provide information to patients/consumers and maintain documentation for patient rights and responsibilities, full disclosure of service costs, complaints mechanism, privacy and confidentiality and procedure for access to medical records.

Patients can demand immediate care in emergency cases and should also receive comprehensive care for their illness or injury. They can also ask for the identity of the physician responsible for their care as well as information on their diagnosis and proposed treatment.

The authority has also advised patients to seek translators from healthcare facilities in case language becomes a barrier. Patients also have the right to refuse any treatment, though doctors will inform them of the medical consequences of the refusal.

However, patients have been asked to follow the treating doctor’s instructions and to take responsibility for refusing or not following the treatment plan.

Welcoming the charter, doctors and Dubai residents said it would help them choose an appropriate place of treatment and doctor. “Sometimes patients are confused regarding their treatment,” said Dr Manisha Phadke, General Practitioner at Belhoul Specialty Hospital in Dubai. “But I believe that document will benefit both the patients and doctors.”

She said healthcare facilities would have to provide better services in a transparent manner. She, however, warned that doctors could misuse the facility.

“People are afraid of legal implications so doctors may, for example, misuse the rights and later say ‘we informed the patient’,” she explained.

“Sometimes patients’ expectations are higher than what the facilities can provide and now it will be easier to say no.”

“Authorities need to create more awareness regarding patients’ rights since not many are aware that they can refuse treatment,” opined Sharif Khan, a resident of Dubai.

He also said that most believed that asking too many questions could upset doctors.

—asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com