1.2 Patient orientation

The management regulates the relationship between the organisation, the hospital, its departments and employees on the one hand and the patients, their relatives and co-treatment physicians on the other in procedural instructions.

The rights of patients should be explicitly recognised by a declaration in the quality policy.

The following should be emphasised in particular:

• the legal position of patients
• the patient's relationship with doctors and non-medical staff that goes beyond legal and technical measures
• the relationship with the patient's relatives
• the relationship with pre- and post-treatment physicians and other treatment facilities.

The management should explain how the fundamental rights of patients are safeguarded and their values respected during hospital treatment.

To be regulated:

• how the right to self-determination is safeguarded
• how physical and mental integrity and security are protected
• how privacy and ethical and cultural values are respected
• how patients' access to hospital services is ensured regardless of their social status
• that only appropriate treatment procedures that do not exceed what is necessary are used
• how potential conflicts of interest are disclosed and eliminated.

The management should create reliable conditions under which confidentiality, the handling of data and respect for patient privacy are maintained.

The management should endeavour to involve patients in the selection of therapeutic and diagnostic measures whenever possible. They should be informed about treatment alternatives and be given access to further advice. They should not suffer any disadvantage from refusing treatment.

Special regulations must be made with regard to the type and scope of patient information, how patient consent to medical interventions is obtained and under what conditions (including legal judgements) this can and must be deviated from.

The management should ensure that only those procedures are used for which patients have given their informed consent. This also applies in particular to measures that are carried out with the aim of further developing or testing medical treatments (clinical studies).

The management must establish regulations that limit restrictions on the fundamental rights of patients, if at all, to what is absolutely necessary or prescribed by law and for the necessary period of time. The procedure in these exceptional situations should be explicitly regulated, even if legal provisions exist.

When dealing with patients and in the general organisation of treatment procedures, it should be taken into account that patients perceive most measures differently and often have a different attitude to them than hospital staff. These differences must be recognised. The patient's point of view must always be taken as a starting point and an appropriate solution must be found in the event of conflict.

Patients should be encouraged to participate in follow-up examinations, data collection for quality assurance and reporting to registers. Patients must be informed about their right to refuse the transfer of data.

The hospital sets up an ethics programme.