The 7 rights of a patient

1. The Best Possible Care

Every patient should receive the best treatment possible, regardless of nationality, sexual orientation, social class... The treatment you receive depends on your medical needs, available material and medical knowledge at that time. The pain treatment is also included here, we talk about painkillers. But instead of healing, we prefer to avoid it. Many physical pains are avoided by appropriate means, see for this this category.

2. Choosing your own doctor

As a patient, you have the right to choose who you want to be treated by.

There are some exceptions to this:
- By law, people with mental illness who can't choose for themselves.
- Due to circumstances: There is only one specialist available.
- If it's not an emergency, the care professional can refuse.

3. Knowing or prefering not to get results

Your doctor must give you all the information regarding diagnosis orally, so that you can get a good idea of your health status. It is also the responsibility of the healthcare professional to ensure that you understand the information as a patient and in a language you know.

As a patient you can also choose not to know the information and the doctor must respect it. Only if your health condition is a danger to others, the doctor is obliged to tell you.

In addition, the doctor can also decide not to disclose information. This can only happen if telling the information can have a negative effect on your health.

4. Allow and refuse treatment

As a patient you must give permission before treatment can be started. Unless you cannot do this (e.g. unconscious), the doctor himself decides. You can also choose to refuse treatment, the doctor is obliged to respect your choice.

5. Viewing your medical record

If you want to, you can check your patient file or you can even get a copy of it. For both options you have to submit an application first.

6. Privacy Options

Unless this is a danger to you or your environment, data about your health status should not be communicated with others.

7. Complaints

If your rights are not respected, you can go to the hospital ombud service. For home care and so on there is the federal ombuds service. They are responsible for mediation around complaints.