Patients' rights in New Zealand: complaints resolution and quality improvement.

"Patients' rights" has become a familiar catchword in western countries in recent years. In New Zealand the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner was established in 1994 to promote and protect patients' rights. The Commissioner also facilitates the resolution of complaints relating to the infringement of patients' rights as set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights. Victims of medical misadventure in New Zealand are compensated through a no-fault, state-funded rehabilitation and compensation scheme. The regulatory environment is rehabilitative rather than punitive. This framework is consistent with a systems approach to reducing errors and improving patient safety, and the Commissioner seeks to use the resolution of individual complaints as a tool for improving the quality of care throughout the health care system.