Know your rights!

1. Receiving quality service
   
   You are entitled to 'good healthcare', based on current scientific knowledge and specific to your situation. This also implies that the care provider treats you with respect and does not discriminate because of social class, nationality or income. A healthcare provider may refuse to provide care but must refer you to another healthcare provider. 
    

2. Being free to choose a healthcare practitioner
   
   You have the right to freely choose a healthcare professional, to consult a second healthcare provider or to review your choice of said care provider. 
    

3. Being informed on one's state of health
   
   As a patient, you are entitled to receive understandable information about your health, the possible treatments, risks, costs... You can always ask the care provider for further explanation or have a representative assist you. You can also choose NOT to be informed. 
   
   The doctor may exceptionally and temporarily refuse to provide information if he believes it poses a serious threat to your health. 
    

4. Consenting freely to an intervention
   
   You can freely decide about your treatment. After all, it's your well-being and health on the table. You must be able to explicitly give your consent for an examination or treatment and may also refuse this, or change your opinion. 
   
   If it is impossible to obtain your or your representative's consent, the doctor must initiate all necessary treatment. 
    

5. Knowing whether the healthcare professional is insured and authorized to practice their profession
   
   The patient may receive information whether or not the healthcare professional has insurance coverage or some other form of protection with regard to professional liability, as well as whether they are authorized to practice their profession. 
    

6. Being able to rely on carefully updated health records, and having the possibility to access and copy these. You have the right of protection of your private life and are thus warranted to know what's in your health record and who can access it. 
   
   Your data is stored in an electronic database. You are entitled to the protection of your private life and may therefore know the content of your medical file and who can view it. This right of access is not absolute as there are some exceptions (f.e. information about third parties, notes from the physician...).
    

7. Having the guarantee that your privacy is protected
   
   Your privacy must be protected. Healthcare providers must comply with professional confidentiality and cannot simply share all information with whomever. 
    

8. Filing a complaint with an ombudsman service
   
   If you are not satisfied with a treatment, you have the right to file a complaint. Of course there is always the option to talk to your care provider, but there is also an external ombudsman service that will process the complaint free of charge and with confidentiality. 
    

9.  Appointing someone as representative
   
   You can appoint someone as a representative who will assist you in your treatment and help you monitor your rights. If you are no longer able to exercise your rights, the representative will be responsible for your treatment. You can revoke the designation of a representative at any time.