Doctors' rights and patients' duties?
Currently, there is an increasing tendency to convert patients' rights into duties. At least three areas can be identified: The tendency of the health care provider to claim duties of the patient in the doctor-patient relationship; the trend to stipulate conditions when patients are in need of health care delivery; and the evolution towards the formulation of patients' legal duties when third-party interests are involved. The societal tendencies to convert legal rights into legal duties, to require counter-services from the patient and to control patients' behaviour, limit patients' rights to self-determination and essential human rights in health care. Ultimately, intervention through legislation might be necessary.
Roscam Abbing
H D
HD
University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D028681:Moral Obligations; D009426:Netherlands; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D028701:Patient Rights; D018579:Patient Selection; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D040841:Resource Allocation; D012945:Social Values