Patient rights and responsibilities

Dear Readers,

Patients have the right to:

1. receive healthcare services up to date with the current medical knowledge;
2. receive information about their health status;
3. report the adverse effects of medicinal products;
4. have their information, especially regarding their health, kept confidential by the healthcare providers;
5. provide or withhold their consent to certain healthcare services;
6. have their intimacy and dignity respected;
7. the presence of a close person during the provision of healthcare services;
8. access their medical records;
9. object to the opinion or adjudication of a physician;
10. respect for their private and family life;
11. additional nursing care;
12. spiritual care;
13. deposit their valuables for safekeeping.

Patients are obliged to:

1. follow the recommendations and instructions of physicians, nurses and other medical staff, both regarding the diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation process, and the organisational and administrative aspects;
2. follow the recommended diet;
3. actively participate in the rehabilitation programme, take care of the rehabilitation equipment;
4. treat other patients and hospital personnel with kindness and politeness;
5. remain in the assigned rooms during rounds / medical visits, therapeutic and nursing procedures, and at meal times;
6. respect the quiet hours between 22:00 and 6:00;
7. inform a nurse before leaving the department. The absence at the department cannot be longer than 20 minutes (a short walk on the hospital premises, buying food). Patients cannot leave the hospital premises; leaving the hospital without permission will be considered a refusal of further treatment and will result in a discharge on patient’s own request. Based on the health status, the hospital personnel may not give a patient the permission to leave the department;
8. refrain from manipulating the medical machines and devices, as well as the electric, gas, ventilation and heating equipment;
9. follow the safety, hygiene and fire safety regulations;
10. treat the hospital property with respect (in the case of damage, patients are obliged to cover the losses suffered by the hospital);
11. maintain order in the patient room;
12. maintain personal hygiene;
13. refrain from distributing, having and using illegal drugs, narcotics, psychotropic substances and other substances with similar effects, bringing and consumption of alcohol and smoking tobacco, as this may result in disciplinary discharge.
14. Patients are obliged to inform the attending physician about any regularly used medications not related to the condition they are hospitalised for.
15. Patients are obliged to provide complete and truthful information about their health during medical interviews with a physician or a nurse.
16. Using mobiles or other communicators should not disturb other patients and such devices should not be used during overnight quiet hours.
17. Patients are obliged to remain quiet and follow the principles of politeness while waiting for admittance to the hospital or for a visit in a clinic.
18. Patients should not keep food and products that go off easily in unsuitable places or in bedside tables.
19. Patients should deposit their valuables for safekeeping for the time of the surgery. The hospital is not responsible for the lost property that was not deposited.

The position of Patient’s Rights Officer in MEDINET is held by Krzysztof Wronecki MD, PhD, Professor of the Witelon National Vocational University in Legnica, tel. 71 320 94 35.