-On the occasion of the official launch, Thursday 24 February, of the programme “2011, year of patients and their rights”, the BVA Institute conducted a survey revealing that more than half of the French (51%) have never heard of “patients rights”. In fact, seven out of ten respondents report did not know what are the various rights granted to patients.
However, the survey reveals that more than 80% of respondents are aware that they can freely choose their doctor and their establishment. By contrast, only 44% of the French know that physician’s authorization is required to access the information in their medical records.
Generally, the French believe that most of the rights of patients are well applied, including the right to respect for private life and privacy of medical information (91%) and the right to receive care to relieve pain (89%).
Last finding of the survey, more than half of respondents (45%) still consider that the rights of patients are currently insufficient and that it would be advisable to grant new rights in the future.
At the launch of the device “2011, year of patients and their rights”, the Secretary of State responsible for the health Nora Berra unveiled three reports proposing concrete ways to promote the rights of all users of the health system.
Cap exceedances of fees, mandatory of the cost of benefits, the establishment of a national Council of the users of the health system and the creation of a single information portal dedicated to health, are part of the exposed measures.
This survey was conducted by telephone by the BVA Institute for the Ministry of health, on 10 and 11 September last, a sample of 962 French, representative of the French population aged 18 years and more. “Next”.