Awareness and Practice of Patient's Rights Law in Lithuania
Author Information
Author(s): Ducinskiene Danute, Vladickiene Jurgita, Kalediene Ramune, Haapala Irja
Primary Institution: Kaunas University of Medicine
Hypothesis
What is the level of awareness and practice of the Patient's Rights Law among medical staff and patients in Lithuania?
Conclusion
The study suggests a need for increased awareness among patients to improve the implementation of the Patient's Rights Law in Lithuania.
Supporting Evidence
- 85% of medical staff had heard of the Law on Patient's Rights.
- Only 50% of professionals thought patient information was necessary compared to 69% of patients.
- There was a significant discrepancy between physicians informing patients and patients actually knowing their treatment options.
Takeaway
Doctors know a lot about patients' rights, but many patients don't understand them, so we need to help patients learn more.
Methodology
A survey was conducted with 255 medical staff and 451 patients in Kaunas city health care units.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reported awareness and understanding of the law among both medical staff and patients.
Limitations
The study was limited to four health care units in Kaunas and may not represent the entire country.
Participant Demographics
Medical staff consisted of 34% physicians and 66% nurses, with an average age of 42 years; patients had an average age of 46 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < 0.001
Statistical Significance
p < 0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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