Assessment of physicians awareness of patient's rights in Georgia

Georgian Parliament adopted the law on Patients' Rights in 2000. The Georgian legislation on Patients' rights covers most of the universal European principles of patients' rights. The overall purpose was to determine the level of physicians' knowledge and understanding of patient's rights from the point of physicians' view. 200 physicians from 12 medical institutions were surveyed by method of interview. During the process of surveying the respondents mostly indicate to necessity of expanded information of patients in terms of payment for medical services, information dealing with test results, diagnosis and treatment, prognosis of disease. According to physician's view, the patients are less informed that reflects in delayed visit to physician. Data from the surveyed physicians shows that one of the most significant problems is related to informed consent on medical manipulations. As it was revealed most of them did not require informed consent during their practice. The authors of study come to a decision, that the need to adopt new instruments for protection of patients' rights during and after medical care and elimination of any violence of rights is of the highest importance and one of the main priorities for national health care.