A health care professional treating a patient must, on their own initiative, tell the patient or their next of kin about every aspect of their care that may influence the decisions on the patient’s care. Health care professionals must explain different treatment options and the effects of treatments, including any side effects, to the patient. Patients have the right to obtain information about the treatment plan and estimated costs of extensive and expensive medical treatments. This information can be provided verbally, but patients may also request the information in writing.
Patients have the right to check the data concerning themselves in patient documents. A written request to access data must be submitted to the unit where the patient was being treated, after which the patient is given copies of their patient documents. The patient documents must be marked accordingly if copies of the documents are given for the patient to see. If necessary, a health care professional will go through the patient documents together with the patient and their next of kin to discuss what has been recorded in the documents. If a health care unit does not provide copies of patient documents despite being requested to do so, the unit must present reasons for the refusal in a written response, and the patient documents must be marked accordingly.
Information must be provided in a way that allows the patient to gain a good understanding of the contents of their patient documents. If a health care professional does not speak the language used by the patient or if the patient is difficult to understand due to a speech impediment or other sensory or communication disorder, interpretation must be provided where possible.
Patients have the right to check all the details that have been recorded about them in patient documents. If the patient sees that their documents contain inaccurate data, they have the right to make a request for rectification.