Patient Rights: Core European Standards
In modern healthcare, the patient is at the center of the medical system. To ensure quality care and respect for human dignity, the European Charter of Patient Rights establishes 14 fundamental rights.
1. Right to prevention. Everyone has the right to preventive healthcare services.
2. Right of access. Equal access to medical care must be guaranteed without discrimination.
3. Right to information. Patients have the right to know about their health condition and treatment options.
4. Right to consent. Any medical intervention requires the informed consent of the patient.
5. Right to free choice. Patients can choose their healthcare providers and treatment methods.
6. Right to privacy and confidentiality. Personal and medical information must remain protected.
7. Right to timely treatment. Medical care should be provided without unnecessary delays.
8. Right to quality. Treatments must meet established standards and protocols.
9. Right to safety. Patients must be safeguarded against malpractice, errors, and unsafe services.
10. Right to innovation. Access to modern technologies and diagnostic methods must be ensured.
11. Right to avoid unnecessary pain and suffering. Care must minimize avoidable suffering.
12. Right to personalized treatment. Healthcare should be adapted to individual needs.
13. Right to complain. Patients have the right to file complaints and receive responses.
14. Right to compensation. If harmed, patients are entitled to fair compensation.
These principles ensure that medicine remains not only a science but also a human-centered mission.
