A survey of patients' rights representatives in Israeli Hospitals: 1999-2000

Israel's legislature enacted a Patients' Rights Act in 1996. The Act directed hospitals to designate a representative responsible for supervising protection of patients' rights under the new law, investigating complaints, and educating medical staff regarding the provisions of the Act. This survey was conducted in order to evaluate implementation of that section of the law pertaining to hospital representatives of patients' rights. The authors conducted interviews with responsible individuals at government hospitals in Israel, inquiring about their duties, training, complaint procedures, and practices. The authors found that while the representatives shared some basic knowledge of their legal duty, methods of implementation differed widely. It is recommended that a comprehensive program of training be devised for hospital patients' rights representatives, in order to realize the potential of the Act.