[Expectations of patients from hospital staff]

Irrespective of the level of care, possible objections and even complaints lodged to various institutions concerning functioning of health care units, expectations of patients from doctors and middle medical staff as for health services and respecting their rights are of very different character. Investigations of patients' opinions on their expectations from health service personnel in hospitals were carried out in 49 wards of 13 hospitals in the Lublin district from 24.08. to 06.09.1999. For solving research problems of this study the method of diagnostic survey was used with the use of questionnaire technique. Patients in individual wards were randomly selected on the basis of hospital discharge sequence. Opinions on the subject under study were collected from patients leaving investigated wards in whom: the awareness of discharge and independence of the staff allowed frank opinions, the fact of hospitalisation gave experience, hospital stay enabled comprehensive assessment of problems under discussion. The study comprising 353 patients has shown that: patients expect from doctors, first of all, respecting the right to information (31.8%) on the whole subject range from diagnosis, assessment of health condition, and prognosis to the aim, risk, benefits and ways of carrying out medical procedures (20.02%); expectations of patients from middle medical staff mainly concern respecting the right to partner treatment, with dignity and respect (29.5%); over two thirds of patients (41.5%) also express their expectations from auxiliary medical staff concerning their manners in contacts with them.