[Patient rights alone are not enough, too many rights can also be harmful].
The nowadays running increased emphasis on patients rights can be seen positive as a way towards a "competent partner-patient". However, better health results to come out of it want mainly an important pre-condition, which we call "general renaissance of communication culture". This should work on the non-verbal, verbal and written level. We name the following examples on this way. -Schooling for communication, including the mechanism of "positivation", that we have introduced into basic psychotherapeutic schooling. -There are further levels of quality assurance, leading to quality amelioration via evaluation and motivation. The "Rasterzeugnis" (i.e. periodical doctors' certifications, which has become obligatory per legem now in Austria) is one of these instruments. -There are highly sensible territories like communication with the incurable as well as organ transplantations. -But also the seemingly so banal written doctor's report should be the subject of important ameliorations in the routine. Following a pure standpoint of the right with neglect of all said above, can be contra-productive. We give examples of the -patients' insight into medical documents as well as -simple juridical judgement of a patient's competence. Only by synopsis of right with communication, there can be reached an optimal result for the patient. This should run under the omnipresent principle of humanitas.
Barolin
G S
GS
Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institut für Neuro-Rehabilitation und -Prophylaxe, Feldkirch-Tisis.
D001317:Austria; D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009042:Motivation; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
Patientenrecht allein ist zu wenig, zuviel Recht kann auch schädlich sein!