“The World Medical Association declaration on the right of the patient (Amended by the 47th World Medical Association General Assembly Bali Indonesia Sept. 1995) represents the principle rights of patients that should be recognised and respected by physicians and health care institutions. They are as follows:
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Every patient has a right to health care, irrespective of age, sex, caste, creed, religion and economic status.
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Every patient has a right to be treated with respect, care, compassion, attention and dignity without any discrimination.
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Every patient has a right to get treatment in case of emergency.
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Every patient has a right to be properly instructed regarding follow up and subsequent treatment.
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Every patient has a right to be referred to a better medical centre for better management.
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Every patient has a right to know the rules regulations and charges of the clinic or hospital before getting treated or admitted.
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Every patient has an absolute right to privacy, medical consultation, examination, findings, case discussions, test reports, procedures and treatment must be kept confidential and should not be disclosed except in certain circumstances, such as under a court order. Patients have a complete right to ask any person who is not directly involved in his or her treatment to not be present during his consultation, examination and so on.
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Every patient has a right to obtain medical certificate of illness or fitness and all other medical records.
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Relatives or attendants of a deceased patient have a right to obtain a death certificate from the doctor or hospital which has treated the deceased.
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Every patient has a right to examine and receive an explanation in detail about the bill of a doctor or hospital and to receive a receipt for the amount paid.”
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(Paragraph 21, page j267)