Information is the foundation of several otherpatient rights.
A person cannot meaningfully consider treatment options, seek a second opinion, give informed consent or participate in decisions about care without first having access to relevant information.
The right to information extends beyond a diagnosis or proposed treatment. Depending on the circumstances, patients may also need information about the professionals involved in their care, expected costs, medical records and hospital policies that directly affect them.
Healthcare is not static. A working diagnosis may evolve, a treatment plan may need to be reconsidered, and new risks, complications or choices may emerge. Information should therefore not be treated as a single conversation at the beginning of care, but as something that continues throughout the healthcare journey.
In India, the right to relevant information is recognised within the Charter of Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities. Similar principles are reflected across healthcare systems globally through legal, ethical and professional frameworks.
Sources and context: See the Government of India’s Charter of Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities. This website edition is adapted from an EVM Instagram explainer.