Patients and physicians awareness of patients’ rights and its implementation at Beheshti hospital in Isfahan

Introduction. Patient's satisfaction is considered as one of the hospital effectiveness indicators which has an important role in hospital productivity. Respecting patients' rights is necessary for gaining their satisfaction. The objective of this survey was to investigate the patients and physicians' awareness about patients’ rights and its implementation in Beheshti hospital in 2003. Methods. This cross-sectional survey was carried out using a questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by experts and its reliability by test-retest, as the data collection tool. All physicians employed in Beheshti hospital (n=30) and 160 patients, selected through systematic random sampling, filled the questionnaires. The data analysis was done using t-test, frequency distribution, mean, standard deviation and Pearson Correlation Coefficient by SPSS 11 software. Results. Physicians and patients' knowledge about patients’ rights was 0.90±0.12 (excellent) and 0.32±0.17 (weak), out of 1, respectively. They scored implementation of patients' rights in the hospital as 0.33±0.1 (weak) out of 1. Conclusion. Patients are not aware of their own rights and need education in this regard. Although, physicians' information about patients' rights was in excellent level, the patients' rights was respected very little at the hospital. It is necessary to inform patients about their rights which in turn can improve hospital effectiveness and productivity.