The partnership model in the relationship between medical staff and patient – foreigner. Opportunities versus barriers

Abstract

The shift away from the traditional paternalistic models based on a dominant, authoritarian position of a specialist, to the partnership and cooperation is increasingly being emphasized. Modern models pay attention to the patient’s participation in the process of diagnosis and treatment and his shared responsibility for the effects of therapy. Communication should have to directions and should base on the principle of agreement. Medical staff become an advisor and guide, not an authoritarian manager. The patient has the freedom to decide, his rights, autonomy and dignity are emphasized. Attention is also paid to the importance of the patient’s family in the process of diagnosis and treatment. However, in practice, these recom - mendations are not always respected. The realization of so-called the partnership model when that partner is a foreigner can be even harder. Although European and national laws describing the rights of foreigners in Poland to receive health care, stress that having a valid insurance in our country guarantees equality in access to health services and their quality, the practice points to numerous barriers in this regard, from language problems to personal prejudices of medical staff. The main purpose of the article is to characterize these barriers, as well as to try to answer the question whether and under what conditions it is possible to use the partnership model in the relationship between medical staff and patient foreigner.