WARSAW
ul. Lanciego 19 lok.127
Monday - Friday:
10:00 - 20:00
Patient’s Charter of Rights is a set of rights, included, among others, in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, the Act on Health Care Services financed from public funds, the Act on Patient's Rights and Patient's Rights Ombudsman, or the Act on Medical Activity. Observing and respecting the patient's rights is one of the basic obligations of the medical service providers, from public authorities, through medical professionals, to all others who, due to their profession, have contact with patients.
Patient’s right to health services
» The patient has the right to health services suited to the requirements of current medical knowledge.
» The patient has the right to equal access to health care services, and in the situation of limited opportunities – to obtain appropriate health services, based on medical criteria defining the order of accessing these services.
» The patient has the right to demand that: the physician providing health services to him/her consulted the case with another doctor or convened joint consultation; the nurse providing health services to him/her consulted another nurse.
Patient’s right to information
» The patient has the right to information on the rights of patients, available in a written form in public areas, and on the rules of limiting these rights.
» The patient has the right to information on the nature and scope of health services and their price list, as well as the names of the persons providing these services.
» The patient has the right to obtain intelligible information concerning his/her health condition, diagnosis, proposed and possible diagnostic and treatment methods, foreseeable consequences of their use or omission, and the results of treatment and prognosis. Also, the patient has the right to indicate the person authorized to obtain information about his/her status of health and to receive patient’s medical records, as well as to refuse indicating such a person
» The patient has the right not to be informed within the aforementioned range of information on his/her clear request.
Patient’s right to consent to receiving health services
» The patient, also a minor who has reached the age of 16, has the right to consent to receiving health services. If the patient is:
- is under 18 years old,
- completely incapacitated,
- incapable of knowingly giving consent,
his/her legal representative has the right to consent to receive health services.
»The patient has the right to refuse medical care. The patient:
- who has reached the age of 16,
- who is completely incapacitated,
- who is mentally ill, but has sufficient understanding,
has the right to refuse medical care, although his/her legal representative gave consent to medical treatment. In such cases, permission from the guardianship court is required.
Consent or refusal should be given after being informed about the state of health, the proposed methods of diagnosis and treatment, foreseeable consequences of their application or omission.
In case of the treatment method causing an increased risk for the patient, the patient expresses the consent or refusal in the written form.
» The patient has the right to maintain the confidentiality of his/her personal information (in particular on the patient’s health status) by the hospital staff, including persons providing health benefits to the patient. The patient has the right to indicate the person authorized to obtain information about his/her status of health and to receive the patient's medical records, as well as to refuse indicating such a person. After death of the patient the right to access his/her medical records belongs to the person authorized by the patient in the patient’s lifetime. Persons exercising the medical profession are also bound with confidentiality after the death of the patient.
» The patient has the right to respect for privacy and dignity, in particular during the provision of health services to him/her.
» The patient has the right to die in peace and dignity.
» While providing health services to the patient, he/she has the right to the presence of a close person. Lack of consent for the presence of a close relative or a friend may occur in the case of an epidemic emergency or due to the health safety of the patient. The refusal should be expressed in the written form.
Receiving health services from, for instance, medical students, needs the patient's consent. If the patient is underage, completely incapacitated or incapable of informed consent, then the consent of legal representative is required.
» The patient has the right to access medical records concerning his health condition and provided health services.
» The patient in a stationary healthcare facility has the right to store valuables in the deposit. The costs of implementing this law shall be taken by a stationary health care facility, unless otherwise provided by law.
» The patient or his legal representative has the right to raise an objection against the opinion or medical certificate issued by the physician, if the opinion or medical certificate affects the patient's rights or obligations resulting from the regulations.
The objection shall be submitted to the medical committee operated by the Patient Ombudsman, by proxy of the Patient Ombudsman within 30 days from the date of issuing the opinion or the medical certificate by the physician adjudicating about the patient's state of health.
» The patient in a stationary healthcare facility has the right to personal contact, telephone or correspondence with others.
» The patient has the right to additional nursing care, understood as care beyond providing health services by hospital staff, including patient care exercised in terms of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.
The patient bears the costs, if the implementation of these results in fixed costs incurred by the health care facility.
The fee to offset the costs is provided by the facility director taking into account the actual costs of healthcare. Information on the amount of the fee is open and available on the premises of health care.
» The patient has the right to pastoral care.
» In the situation of deterioration of the patient’s status of health or life threat, the hospital enables the patient contact with the clergy of his religion, on request of the patient or his/her caretaker.
» Lack of consent for the pastoral care may occur in the case of an epidemic emergency or due to the health safety of the patient.
In the event of an unsatisfactory effect of the complaint, ask for its consideration by the Department of Complaints and Applications of the National Health Fund.
Complaints can be submitted in the written or verbal form. The patient has the right to demand a written confirmation of receiving the complaint.
If a complaint does not include the name and the address of the person submitting the complaint, such document will not be accepted and considered.
If the patient is not satisfied with the provided health services, he/she can submit a complaint to:
» the Patient Ombudsman,
» the Chamber of Physicians and Dentists
» the Main Chamber of Nurswes and Midwives
» the Inspector General for the Protection of Personal Data.
Cases resolved by a final court judgment or final administrative decision are not considered as complaints.
Observing and respecting the patient's rights is one of the basic obligations of the service provider.
Withdrawal of treatment
In justified cases, the physician may stop the treatment or refuse to provide health service. The delay in providing assistance should not result in a risk of loss of life, serious injury or serious impairment of the patient's health.
If the physician decides to stop the treatment or refuse medical consultation, they should:
» inform the patient (his/her legal representative or actual guardian) about this fact in advance;
» inform the patient where he/she can obtain medical care;
» justify and record this fact in the medical records.
1) TO OBTAIN HEALTH BENEFITS CORRESPONDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF CURRENT MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE;
2) TO OBTAIN INTELLIGIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS/HER HEALTH CONDITION;
3) TO CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION DURING THE PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES;
4) TO CONSENT FOR RECEIVING SPECIFIC HEALTH SERVICES OR TO REFUSE SUCH CONSENT;
5) TO SUBMIT ADVERSE EVENT REPORT ON MEDICATIONS;
6) TO THE RESPECT FOR PRIVACY AND PERSONAL DIGNITY, IN PARTICULAR DURING THE PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES;
7) TO HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION REGARDING HIS/HER STATE OF HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROVIDED;
8) TO OBJECT TO THE OPINION OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE CONCERNING HIS/HER STATE OF HEALTH ISSUED BY THE PHYSICIAN;
9) TO RESPECT FOR PRIVATE AND FAMILY LIFE;
10) TO PASTORAL CARE;
11) TO STORE VALUABLES IN THE DEPOSITORY.
In case of any queries contact Patient Ombudsman’s Office ul. Młynarska 46, 01-171 Warszawa,
www.bpp.gov.pl Free helpline 800 190 590 Mon.-Fri.: 9.00-21.00 Patient Ombudsman’s Office
Patient's rights and the principles of functioning of the Patient Ombudsman result from the Act of November 6, 2008 on patient's rights and the Patient's Rights Ombudsman
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WARSAW ul. Lanciego 19 lok. 127
Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 20:00