P A T I E N T   R I G H T S

• Patients have the right to careful professional health care provided with understanding by qualified staff.
  
  
• Patients have the right to know the name of the doctor and other medical staff who are treating them.
  
  
• Patients have the right to privacy and services adequate to the facility and the right to meet their family members or friends every day. Continuous visits may only be restricted for serious reasons.
  
  
• Patients have the right to receive data, which is necessary for making an informed decision on the approval of every new diagnostic procedure, from their doctor. Except for cases of immediate danger, patients have to be well informed about the possible risks related to the procedure.
  
  
• If there are more alternative procedures or if patients require information about treatment alternatives, they have the right to be informed. They also have the right to know the names of persons which are involved in these procedures.
  
  
• Patients have the right to refuse treatment in the extent permitted by law, and should be informed about the health consequences of their decision.
  
  
• Patients have the right to be respected in terms of their privacy and decency during the examinations and treatments in and out of the hospital. Analysis of a patient’s case, consultation and treatment are confidential and must be discreet. The presence of persons who are not directly involved in the examination has to be approved by the patient. The same applies for university facilities unless the persons have been selected by the patient.
  
  
• Patients have the right to expect that all reports and records concerning their treatment are considered confidential. The protection of information about the patient has to be secured even in the case of the use of computers.
  
  
• Patients have the right to expect that the hospital is obligated to satisfy their request for care according to its capacity and the type of the illness. If necessary, the patient may be transferred to another health facility, or transported to this facility after they have been given all reasons for and information about the necessity of this transfer and about other possible alternatives. Prior to this the transfer has to be approved by the institution to which the patient should be transferred.
  
  
• Patients have the right to expect that they will be treated with adequate continuity. They have the right to know in advance which doctors they can visit during which surgery hours and at which places. After the discharge, they have the right to expect that the hospital will suggest a procedure which shall be followed by the doctor when informing the patient about further treatment.
  
  
• Patients have the right to a detailed and comprehensible explanation in the case that the doctor has decided to use non-standard procedure or experiment. A written wilful consent is a requirement for non therapeutical and therapeutical research. Patients are allowed to withdraw from the experiment without stating reasons after they have been advised of the possible health consequences of such a decision.
  
  
• An ill person at the end of their life has to right to sensitive care of all staff who are obligated to respect their wishes if these are not in contrast to valid laws.
  
  
• Patients have the right and obligation to know and follow the valid regulations of the health institution where they are being treated (so called hospital regulations).
  
  
• Patients have the right to control their account and require a justification of particular items regardless of who pays the bill.