The government has placed a draft ‘Charter of Patient Rights’ that recognizes 17 rights of a patient. Here is a low down of these 17 rights. With the widespread expansion of private health care facilities, many citizens now choose private facilities over public health facilities. The patients are often at the receiving end in terms of charges, opaqueness in processes etc. Even the government regulation in this area has been found wanting. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has now proposed a ‘Charter of Patient Rights’ to be implemented by state governments. The draft is now available in the public domain & comments are invited till 30th September 2018. What is the current status of Patient rights in India? Government of India has enacted the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act in 2010 and notified the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012. The act and the rules provide for the following. The National Council for Clinical Establishments has approved a standard list of medical procedures and a standard template for costing of medical procedures. As per the act, the States are responsible for regulating private hospitals in their respective States as per provisions of the act to ensure quality care. As per information shared by the government in the Rajya Sabha, only 11 States/UTs have adopted and passed a state level act to implement this. Some states have enacted their own version of the law while a few other states are yet to enact any law on these lines. Need for a charter of ‘Patient Rights’ As per the document released by the government, legal provisions related to Patient Rights in India are scattered across different legal documents like the Constitution of India, Article 21, Indian Medical Council Regulations 2002, The Consumer Protection Act 1986, Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940, Clinical Establishment Act 2010 etc. The charter that is now placed in the public domain is expected to become a guiding document for governments to formulate concrete mechanism for their implementation. What are part of the Patient Rights? The charter defines 17 rights of a patient listed below. Right to Information: Every patient has a right to adequate & relevant information about the nature, cause of illness, provisional/confirmed diagnosis, proposed investigations and management, and possible complications to be explained at their level of understanding in language known to them. Patients and their caretakers also have a right to know the identity and professional status of various care providers who are providing service to him/her. Right to records and reports: Every patient or his caregiver has the right to access originals/copies of case papers, indoor patient records, investigation reports (during period of admission, preferably within 24 hours and after discharge, within 72 hours). This should be made available after paying appropriate fees for photocopying or allowed to be photocopied by patients at their cost. Right to Emergency Medical Care: As per Supreme Court, all hospitals both in the government and in the private sector are duty bound to provide basic Emergency Medical Care, and injured persons have a right to get Emergency Medical Care. Such care must be initiated without demanding payment/advance and basic care should be provided to the patient irrespective of paying capacity. Right to informed consent: Every patient has a right that informed consent must be sought prior to any potentially hazardous test/treatment (e.g. invasive investigation/surgery/chemotherapy) which carries certain risks. Right to confidentiality, human dignity and privacy: All patients have a right to privacy, and doctors have a duty to hold information about their health condition and treatment plan in strict confidentiality, unless it is essential in specific circumstances to communicate such information in the interest of protecting other or due to public health considerations. Right to second opinion: Every patient has the right to seek second opinion from an appropriate clinician of patients’ or caregivers’ choice. The hospital management has a duty to respect the patient’s right to second opinion, and should provide to the patient’s caregivers all necessary records and information required for seeking such opinion without any extra cost or delay. Right to transparency in rates and care as per prescribed rates: Every patient and their caregivers have a right to information on the rates to be charged by the hospital for each type of service provided and facilities available on a prominent display board and a brochure. They have a right to receive an itemized detailed bill at the time of payment.