Introduction: Care receivers in the family physician program have specific rights that should be seriously taken into account by the health system. Identifying these rights and defining them precisely and clearly is essential for accurate information, continuous monitoring and evaluation, and the creation of an efficient system to ensure compliance.
Methods: This mixed study (review-qualitative) was conducted in two steps. First, a narrative review of published articles related to the rights of care receivers in Iran’s family medicine program from 2005 to 2022 was carried out. Subsequently, a meeting was conducted with a group of seven experts from relevant fields to gather their insights for the development of the document outlining the rights of care receivers.
Results: The review of published articles showed that people’s awareness of their rights is not enough, and this awareness has a positive relationship with education and age. People’s positive attitude towards the rules of urban family medicine program in small cities is 2.5 times higher than in big cities. The combination of the results from the review and expert’s views led to the drafting of a document about the rights of care receivers in the family physician program, which includes 12 rights: safety, effective and uncomplicated services, continuity of service, dignity and respect, effective communication, pleasant service environment, privacy protection, comment and complaint, service provider choice, access to service, and participation in decision-making and their details.
Conclusion: The drafted document can serve as a policy document for the beneficiaries of family physician program in Iran, leading to care receivers satisfaction and high-quality services.