Evaluation of patient rights practices in a developing country: the Edirne model for the implementation of patient rights in Turkey

V Saraçoglu,1 B Tokuç,2 F Güler,3 H Gül3 Objective The aim of this study was to examine the development of the implementation of patient rights and the practical course of patient rights legislation in Edirne, as well as the verbal and written applications to relevant departments between 2004 and 2008. Methods The present study was a descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study. The data of the study were obtained by retrospectively reviewing records of written complaints to patient rights units and on-site solutions between 2004, the year of establishment of these units, and 2008. Results The incidence of written and verbal complaints were calculated to be 23.1 in 100 000 and 137.9 in 100 000, respectively. The increase was 102.2 % for on-site solutions, whereas it was calculated as 97.8 % for written applications. It was noticed that the rate of violation judgements was high (42.5 % (17/40)) in the first year the Edirne State Hospital patient rights committee was established. Conclusions Possible problems encountered during the presentation of health services can be solved by the implementation of patient rights under the legislative guarantee. The implementation of patient rights should be considered as reflections of a socialised government on health services. The focus of patient rights is to provide health services to individuals using their health rights under circumstances that are in conformity with human rights. Health-related rights can be summarised as the right of sustaining and improving well-being and regaining lost health. This is one of the main elements of health rights.1e3 Patient rights date back to theMagna Carta when patient rights were considered to be an extension of human rights. International documents pertaining to patient rights within the context of health rights include the Nuremberg Laws/Codes in 1946 and the Helsinki Declaration in 1961.4 The main declara-tions about patient rights have been advanced b