PSPD in English Socio-Economic 2002-03-15   1302

The Rights of Patients to Know’ to be ensured

It is almost two years since the reform of medical system was launched, but the system does not seem to have been much improved. The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently released the news that it would weaken the current medical receipts exchange regulation.

The Social Welfare Committee of the PSPD, along with other NGOs, asked the Ministry on March 7, 2002 through the press to ensure ‘the rights of patients to know’ by strengthening the current regulation of the Ministry stating that health care providers must issue two copies of prescriptions. One copy must to be provided to individual patients upon receiving health care and another is for pharmacists dispensing drugs, according to the new medical system launched on July 1, 2000 that separates the roles of doctors and pharmacists. But this regulation is ineffective, as there are no actual penalties for violations by health care providers.

In a survey by the National Health Insurance Corporation from late January to early February this year, only 12.5 % of patients were provided with prescriptions following medical care at hospitals and clinics nationwide despite the fact that the issuing fee of prescriptions to individuals is included in the charges for medical treatment. According to the current medical law addressed to those medical care providers, the Ministry should have imposed penalties or suspended them, but the ministry neglected its duties. The Ministry is only making the situation worse by intending to revise the current regulation into one of issuing just one prescription for the dispensing of drugs. This intention clearly violates the rights of patients to know about the exact medical treatments given to them.

The NGOs, including the PSPD’s Social Welfare Committee, asked the Ministry to ensure the rights of patients to know by applying the regulations to those medical care providers who have not issued prescriptions to individuals, and by strengthening the items of prescription.

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