Mapping patient complaints to the World Health Organization patient safety rights charter: a retrospective study from Croatia.

AIM: To evaluate patient complaints submitted to the Split-Dalmatia County Committee for the Protection of Patients' Rights, classify them according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Patient Safety Rights Charter, and evaluate the impact of public awareness interventions on reporting patterns.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 36 written patient complaints submitted from 2022 to 2024. Complaints were independently coded by two reviewers according to the ten categories of the WHO Charter. Public interventions to enhance awareness and accessibility of reporting channels included poster campaigns, media coverage, and community discussions in 2023-2024. Statistical analyses assessed temporal trends, distribution of violations, and provider categories associated with reported breaches.

RESULTS

From 36 complaints, we identified 60 WHO Charter violations, most frequently concerning the right to timely, effective, and appropriate care (38%), dignity, privacy, and non-discrimination (22%), and access to medical records (12%). Two-thirds of reported incidents involved primary care providers, while one-third involved hospital-based providers. Reporting significantly increased following visibility campaigns: charter violations increased from 11 (2022) to 36 (2024), with monthly reporting rates tripling compared with the baseline (rate ratio 3.3; 95% confidence interval 1.7-6.4; P?=?0.001). The range of reported rights also broadened, encompassing all ten Charter categories by 2024.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study in Croatia to evaluate systematically coded, committee-reviewed complaints according to the WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter. Our findings suggest that transparent complaint systems and sustained public education are crucial for empowering patients, strengthening accountability, and enhancing patient safety.