AN EVALUATION OF ADHERENCE TO THE PATIENTSRIGHTS CHARTER AMONG PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF IMAM KHOMEINI HOSPITAL, TEHRAN

It is the cherished goal of the health care providers to observe the patient rights. An official order to install the patient rights charter in all crowded places of hospitals motivated us to evaluate the patient rights both from the patients and resident points of view.This is a descriptive survey with cross-sectional method. The research was conducted to examine thepatients and residents awareness of the contents of Patients Rights Charter in emergency department of Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran and their views on the adherence of the cares to the articles of the charter. 140 patients and 70 residents were chosen by simple randomized method by Cochrane formula and the data was gathered by questionnaires. 57.9% of patients were not aware of this announcement. 78% of patients believed that patients rights is being carried out relatively. 88.6% of residents believed that they complied with the rights of patients. The patients were relatively satisfied with the nursing cares, medical services and hospital equipments (69% were satisfied with availability of physicians in necessary situations, 47% satisfied with the nursing cares and 93.6% satisfied with the hospital equipments).Two years after installation of the charter, patients and residents awareness of installation were low. According to the patient views, patients rights were relatively adhered. Unawareness of patients of their rights may limit their expectations from physicians and if they become aware of the contents of charter, their satisfaction from current situation may alter.