Care provided by a teaching clinic in Manaus - AM and the approach to patient rights
Unified Health System; Right to Health; Patients' Rights
The Health Users' Rights Booklet establishes fundamental guidelines to guarantee humanized, respectful and transparent care, ensuring access to information and adequate care. For these rights to be effectively guaranteed, it is necessary to evaluate how they are applied in the practice of health services. The aim of this study was to analyze the care provided to users of the Unified Health System (SUS) in the Pulmonology and Hepatology outpatient clinics of the Araújo Lima Outpatient Clinic, based on the patient's rights established by the Health Users' Rights Booklet. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, divided into two stages: the first consisted of validating the data collection instrument through the Consensus Conference and the second involved applying the validated questionnaire. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. To ensure methodological consistency, a logical model was initially developed to structure the dimensions assessed, aligning them with the principles of the Health Users' Rights Booklet. Based on this model, a criteria matrix was drawn up, which served as the basis for constructing the questionnaire, made up of three dimensions and their sub-dimensions. The instrument was validated through a Consensus Conference, with the participation of 11 specialists selected for their expertise in health collective, bioethics, patient rights or palliative care. The Consensus Conference took place in three stages: an asynchronous individual assessment and two synchronous discussions via Google Meet. During the analysis, adjustments were made to improve the clarity and precision of the questions, ensuring the suitability of the instrument. It can be said that the majority of patients feel welcomed and respected, that physical intimacy is respected, that the purpose of the tests is identified and that no discrimination of any kind was significantly observed. It can also be said that the majority of patients feel comfortable asking questions and receiving clarification adequate. Improvements are needed in clarity about the benefits and risks of procedures, as well as rights related to privacy and companionship, and the risks of exams are rarely explained to ensure that all patients fully understand their rights and choices. With regard to prescriptions, the majority understand the guidelines, but some still have difficulties reading and understanding the instructions. The right to make complaints or compliments anonymously is reasonably well known, but needs to be better publicized. The conclusion of this study is to deepen the results presented by means of inferential analysis in order to highlight the main variables related to the advances and challenges of the Health Users' Rights Booklet.