Rights and obligations of patients

If a foreign person or one of their relatives should become a healthcare patient, they should know that they have certain rights and obligations under Act No. 372/2011 Coll., on health services and the terms and conditions for the providing of such services, as last amended.

A patient has the following rights:

A patient can only be provided with medical services if the individual has freely given their informed consent to such treatment – unless otherwise called out in the Act.
The patient has the right to receive health care services at an appropriate level of expertise.
With respect to the medical services being provided to them, the patient has the following rights:
1. to be treated with respect, to being treated with dignity, to discreteness and respect for the privacy of the patient in the providing of the health care services – as appropriate to the nature of the healthcare services being provided,
2. to choose a provider authorized to provide healthcare services at a level that is appropriate to dealing with the medical needs of the patient and at a similarly appropriate medical facility – unless this Act or other legislation provides otherwise,
3. to request a second opinion from another (different) provider (doctor) or another health care professional (other than the one that is providing the respective healthcare services) – this right does not apply in situations in which one is being provided with emergency care nor does it apply to persons in custody, imprisonment or security detention,
4. to be given information about the applicable internal rules of the inpatient medical facility or the one-day care provider (hereinafter as "internal rules"),
5. a patient also has the right to the following
  - if a minor, to the continuous presence of a legal representative (guardian) or a person designated as their legal representative, foster parent or another person in whose care the patient has been entrusted by a decision of a court or other authority,
  - if a person has been deprived of their individual legal capacity or if they are a person with limited legal capacity, such that they are not capable of making the requisite judgment on the healthcare services to be provided to them, then that person (as a patient) has the right to the continuous presence of a legal representative (or a person designated as their legal representative),
  - other than the above, a patient has the right to have a close relative (or other person designated to act on their behalf by the patient) be present;
    - note: while the above rights apply they also need to be exercised in accordance with any other applicable laws and the internal rules of the medical facility – and, as long as the presence of such a person does not disrupt the providing of the respective healthcare services; this right does not apply to persons in custody, imprisonment or security detention,
6. to be informed in advance about the cost of any healthcare services that are to be provided, which are not fully or partially covered by public health insurance; and, should payment from the patient be required, about the methods available for making such payment – note: the above applies if the patient's health condition allows it,
7. to know the full names of the healthcare personnel and other professionals directly involved in providing the patient with healthcare services – note: the patient also has the right to this information about any person or persons who are present as part of their medical training (e.g., students of medical universities and nursing schools) or who are carrying out activities that are part of a medical training curriculum,
8. to refuse the presence of persons who are not directly involved in the delivery of their respective healthcare services – note: this includes the right to refuse the presence of persons training for the occupation of being a healthcare worker,
9. to receive visitors while present in a healthcare facility of the provider of inpatient or one-day care services – note: this right is conditioned on the health condition of the patient and the internal rules of the provider; visits also must not infringe on the rights of other patients – unless this Act or another law otherwise provides,
10. to receive, in the healthcare facility of the provider of inpatient or one-day care services, spiritual support from churches and religious communities registered in the Czech Republic or from persons involved in religious activities (hereinafter referred to as "spiritual/church person") – note: this support must be provided in accordance with the internal rules of the healthcare provider and in a manner which does not infringe on the rights of other patients and in a manner respectful of the patient’s health condition, unless another law otherwise provides; the visit of a spiritual/church person cannot be denied to a patient in life threatening situations or if there is a serious risk to a patient’s health – unless other legislation otherwise provides,
11. the patient also has the right to have their healthcare services provided to them in the least restrictive possible – i.e. in an environment that doesn’t interfere with the needed quality and safety of the services being provided,
The patient has the right to choose their provider of healthcare services and to choose the respective medical facility.

A patient has the following obligations:

To comply with the requirements for the designated individual medical treatment procedures – if the patient agreed to be provided with such healthcare services,
To follow the internal rules of the medical facility,
To pay the provider the required price for any provided healthcare services, which are not fully or partly covered by a public health insurance company or from other sources. This applies to any medical treatment or care that was provided to the patient with the patient’s consent,
To truthfully inform the treating healthcare professional about their current medical (health) condition. This includes information on infectious diseases, information about any healthcare services provided to the patient by other providers, about their use of medicinal products (including the use of addictive substances) and any other facts essential to the providing of the respective healthcare services,
To not drink alcohol and to not use any other addictive substance during a period of hospitalization; and, where justified and upon the decision of the treating physician, to undergo an examination to establish whether the patient is under the influence of alcohol or any other type of addictive substance.