Patient rights
HEALTH SERVICES
(1) The patient has the right to the provision of health services at an appropriate professional level, which means the provision of health services in accordance with the rules of science and accepted medical practice, respecting the individuality of the patient, taking into account specific conditions and objective possibilities.
2. Health services can only be provided to a patient with the patient's free and informed consentunless otherwise provided by law (e.g. in cases of ordered isolation for serious infections, compulsory treatment according to law, etc.).
3. In addition, the patient has the right to:
a. to be treated with respect, dignity, consideration and privacy in the provision of health services in accordance with the nature of the health services provided,
b. choose a provider authorised to provide health services that meet the patient's health needs and a health care facility,
c. request consultancy services from a provider or health professional other than the provider of the health services; this shall not apply to the provision of emergency care or to persons under detention, imprisonment or protective custody,
d. on the continuous presence of a legal representative, or a person designated by the legal representative, a foster parent or another person to whose care the patient has been entrusted by a court or other authority, if he or she is a minor or a person deprived of legal capacity or a person whose legal capacity is so limited that he or she is incapable of assessing the provision of health services or the consequences of their provision, and the presence of a close person or a person designated by the patient, provided that the operation and equipment of the ambulance allows it and the presence of such persons does not interfere with the provision of health services. The attending physician is entitled to decide in which cases, for operational or professional reasons, the presence of a legal representative or other person mentioned above cannot be allowed for a specific health service or procedure.
e. be in advance informed of the price of the health services provided which are not covered or partially covered by public health insurance and how they will be paid for, if his or her state of health so permits,
f. know the names and surnames of healthcare workers and other professionals directly involved in the provision of health services and persons training with the provider for the health profession who are present during the provision of health services or who carry out activities that are part of the training,
g. refuse the presence of personswho are not directly involved in the provision of health services and persons preparing to practise as a health professional - the patient shall have the right to prohibit such persons from consulting the medical records kept on him/her,
h. to provide health services in the least restrictive environment while ensuring the quality and safety of the health services provided.
4. The patient is entitled to lodge a complaint against the provider's practice in providing health services or against activities related to health services. A complaint under the Health Services Act shall be made by the patient to the health service provider, i.e. the relevant organisation, in writing or verbally to an employee of the organisation. If the patient is not satisfied with the handling of the complaint, he/she is entitled to apply to the regional authority.
COMMUNICATIONS
5. A patient with a sensory impairment or severe communication problems due to health reasons has a communication problem related to the provision of health services the right to communicate in a way that is comprehensible to him/her and by means of communication of his/her choice, including methods based on interpretation by another person. Interpretation is not covered by health insurance and therefore cannot be reimbursed by the health service provider.
6. A patient with a sensory or physical disability who uses a dog with special training shall have the right, with regard to his/her current state of health, to be accompanied and to have the dog with him/her in the health care facility in the manner prescribed by the internal regulations so that the rights of other patients are not violated.
REPORTING OF INFORMATION
7. The patient has the right be be informed in an intelligible manner and to a sufficient extent about the state of health and the proposed individual treatment and any changes thereto, and to ask additional questions relating to his/her medical condition and proposed health services, which shall be answered in an intelligible manner.
8. The patient has the option to refuse to provide information about his/her health condition, or may designate to whom the information is to be given.
9. The patient may, on admission to care identify personswho may be informed about his or her medical condition and may also determine whether these persons may see the medical records kept on him or other records relating to his state of health, and to take extracts or copies of those documents and whether they may in cases where the patient is unable to consent to the provision of health services in view of his or her state of health, and where the health services are not health services that can be provided without consent, to consent or not to the provision of health services.
10. The patient may designate persons or prohibit provide health information to any person at any time after admission to care, and may revoke a designation or prohibition against providing health information at any time. A record of the patient's statement shall be part of the patient's medical record; the record shall be signed by the patient and the health care professional. The record shall also include a statement by the patient as to how his/her health information may be communicated.
11. The patient shall have the right to inspect the medical records kept on him/her, to take extracts or copies, in the presence of a person authorised by the managing director of the organisation, while the provision of health services shall not be interfered with. The law sets a time limit of 30 days for the processing of this request by the patient. The processing of extracts and copies is charged according to the price list of the outpatient clinic.
PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED WISHES
12. The patient may, in the event that he/she reaches a state of health in which he/she is unable to consent or object to the provision of health services and the manner of their provision, express such consent or objection in advance (hereinafter referred to as "previously expressed wish").
13. The health care professional shall take into account the patient's previously expressed wishes, if available, provided that at the time of the provision of health care services a foreseeable situation has arisen to which the previously expressed wishes relate and the patient is in a state of health in which he or she is unable to give a new consent or dissent.
(14) Only a previously expressed wish will be respected which has been made on the basis of a written instruction to the patient about the consequences of his/her decision by the GP with whom the patient is registered or by another professional attending physician whose expertise the previously expressed wish is related to. The previously expressed wish must be in writing and bear the patient's certified signature. The previously expressed wish shall include a written instruction.
(15) A previously expressed wish need not be respected if, since the time of its expression, there has been such a development in the provision of the health services to which it relates that it is reasonable to assume that the patient would have consented to the provision of those services. The decision to disregard the patient's previously expressed wishes and the reasons for it shall be recorded in the patient's medical record. A previously expressed wish shall also be disregarded if it encourages procedures that result in the active causing of death, if compliance with the wish could endanger others and if medical procedures were initiated at a time when the provider did not have the previously expressed wish and the interruption of which would have resulted in the active causing of death. A previously expressed wish cannot be invoked if the patient is a minor or incapacitated.
Duties of the patient
1. The patient is obliged to:
a. adhere to the proposed individual treatment procedure if he or she has consented to the provision of health care services,
b. to pay the cost of health care services not covered or partially covered by public health insurance or other sources that were provided with his/her consent,
c. truthfully inform the attending health care professional about the current state of health, including information about infectious diseases, health services provided by other providers, use of medications, including substance abuse, and other facts relevant to the provision of health care services,
d. prove his/her identity when asked to do so with an identity card; if the patient refuses to provide proof of identity, the ambulance service may refuse to provide the health service, unless the patient is a patient who needs urgent care.
2. No smoking - Smoking is prohibited in the indoor areas of the ambulance. Smoking in a place prohibited by law is considered an offence. In the event of refusal to comply with the above procedure, the authorised employees of the dispensary are entitled to request the Municipal Police or the Police of the Czech Republic to take action to enforce the prohibition.
She elaborated: Mgr. Mgr. Radka Lorencová
Approved: MUDr. Martin Smažinka, Ph.D.
Date: 1. 8. 2025