European Patients’ Rights Day is celebrated every year on April 18 and serves as an important occasion to raise awareness about the fundamental rights of all patients in Europe. The day was established by the Active Citizenship Network, aiming to promote equal access to quality healthcare services and safeguard patients’ dignity.
At the European level, patients’ rights do not stem from a single binding legal framework, but from a combination of principles, European directives, and national legislation. A milestone was the European Charter of Patients’ Rights (2002), which established 14 core rights and has become a reference point for many countries.
Key rights include:
- The right to access healthcare services
- The right to prevention
- The right to timely and accurate diagnosis
- The right to information and informed consent
- The right to choose treatment
- The right to privacy and confidentiality
- The right to safe and high-quality care
- The right to respect for the patient’s dignity
Despite legislative progress, the full implementation of these rights remains a challenge. According to international reports, in certain vulnerable groups, unmet healthcare needs can reach particularly high levels due to cost, long waiting times, or geographic barriers. Data from the European Commission also highlight delays in diagnoses and treatments, as well as limited patient awareness of available options.
In Greece, patients’ rights are legally protected through, among others, Law 2071/1992 and subsequent regulations. Furthermore, Patient Rights Protection Offices (Γ.Π.Δ.Λ.Υ.Υ.) implement specific regulations for managing complaints, grievances, and positive feedback, as outlined in a Ministry of Health circular (2024). In recent years, significant steps have been taken to strengthen patients’ position in the healthcare system, including:
- Strengthening the role of Patient Rights Protection Offices in public hospitals
- Updating the Charter of Rights, with emphasis on modern needs such as digital health and rare diseases
- Enhancing cooperation between the State, local authorities, academic community, and patient associations
- Advancing digital transformation, including electronic prescriptions and applications such as MyHealth app
Despite this progress, major challenges remain, such as ensuring equal access to innovative treatments, reducing inequalities, protecting personal data, and guaranteeing high-quality care for all patients.
If a patient feels that their rights have been violated, they can turn to:
- The hospital administration or the relevant patient rights office
- The Greek Ombudsman
- Patient associations or support organizations
- Relevant health supervisory authorities
In this context, patient organizations and broader civil society organizations, such as Kapa3, play a crucial role—not only in supporting and guiding patients but also in highlighting issues, promoting policy changes, and shaping a fairer and more accessible healthcare system.
Awareness of one’s rights is the first and most essential step toward protecting them. An informed patient can actively participate in decisions concerning their health, advocate for better care, and contribute to improving the healthcare system itself.
This day reminds us that healthcare is not a privilege but a fundamental human right—and that a fair and patient-centered healthcare system is built every day, with respect, information, and active participation from all.
Sources:
- European Charter of Patients’ Rights (2002): https://www.activecitizenship.net/charter-of-rights.html
- European Commission data: https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/patients-rights_en
- Ministry of Health – Regulations for managing complaints and grievances through Patient Rights Protection Offices (Γ.Π.Δ.Λ.Υ.Υ.) -greek text
Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3