MONDAY, Dec. 27, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Contrary to what critics contend, patients' bill of rights laws don't favor health-care providers, says a Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center study in the current issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
"There is little evidence these laws have much impact on providers' economic concerns," study author Mark Hall, a professor of law and public health, said in a prepared statement.
He reviewed the managed-care patient protection laws that have been enacted in 48 states. He also interviewed a number of health plan managers, regulators, patient advocates, physician practices and others.
Hall concluded that most of the patient protection laws primarily focus on patients' rights, while provisions that protect health-care providers' interests are less common.
"The laws targeted most directly to protecting providers are not especially prominent in the overall package of state patient protection laws," Hall wrote.
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The U.S. government has more about patient rights and responsibilities.
