Rights & Responsibilities

As a medical practice we have the responsibility of respecting your privacy and confidentiality. Medical information is stored in a secure way and shared only when it contributes to your healthcare. As a patient using our service you have the right to provide feedback about your care and we have a system for complaints.

Pregnancy is a personal, important and exciting time in a woman’s life. At Hobart OBGYN we are dedicated to caring for mothers and their unborn children. We believe that the development of a communicative relationship based on mutual respect and trust between mother and obstetrician is paramount to providing optimal care. We believe that such a relationship is best achieved if both pregnant woman and obstetrician are aware of the needs, rights and responsibilities of the other party.

For the pregnant woman this involves the right to be treated with consideration and respect in a way that is mindful of her particular social and cultural needs. She has the right to information about all aspects of her care and to participate in making decisions at all stages of the pregnancy except where an emergency limits her participation. This privilege should extend to exercising informed choice about the refusal of care and choosing to seek a second opinion.

The obstetrician has the right to be provided with relevant and accurate information and to expect the woman’s participation in planning her care. The obstetrician has the further right to be advised of the preferences, needs and expectations of the woman and to be informed if she refuses to accept advice that is given. He or she has the right to refuse to perform treatments that he or she considers to be dangerous or unethical. It is also important to the doctor that the pregnant woman recognises and respects the obstetricians need for periods of leave from the practice.

The experience of pregnancy will be enhanced if the woman recognises her responsibilities and is an active participant in all aspects of her care. The doctors at Hobart OBGYN encourage pregnant women to actively seek information relating to all aspects of the pregnancy and to make appropriate arrangements for any care she deems necessary. It is the woman’s responsibility to provide the doctor with all information that is important for the provision of care and to express her preferences, needs and expectations. At the same time the woman must also accept responsibility for a degree of flexibility and accept appropriate modifications. It is important that the pregnant woman acknowledges that having the right to informed choice and choosing to take a course of action that is contrary to expert advice involves responsibility for those choices and subsequent consequences for the baby.

In return the obstetricians at Hobart OBGYN accept the responsibility to provide expert advice and treatment in a caring and professional manner and to provide an appropriate level of information about all aspects of pregnancy, birth and the post-partum period. They will also undertake responsibility for arranging a further opinion if it is warranted and to offer a referral if for some reason he or she is unable to continue to provide care. This responsibility extends to periods of leave.

If as a result of your visit to your doctor at Hobart OBGYN you have a complaint or suggestion regarding the standard of our services please send an email to us . The email contact form can be found at the bottom of the “Contact us” page. We undertake to investigate and address any issue(s) brought to our attention. We also undertake to make contact with you following our review to inform you of the outcome of our review.