High-quality care
You have the right to the best possible health care, and to this end the healthcare providers deploy the necessary medical knowledge and available technology.
In doing so, they respect everyone's dignity and right to self-determination regardless of nationality, social class, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. Concerns aimed at preventing, treating and alleviating your physical and psychological pain are an integral part of your treatment.
The Quality Act (in force since 2022) translated the right to quality care into daily practice and laid down various conditions to ensure quality and safe healthcare services. More information on the Quality Act can be found on the government website.
Free choice of healthcare professional
You are free to choose your healthcare provider and have the right to consult one or multiple providers for the same issue at any time.
However, this freedom of choice may be limited by law or by circumstances specific to the organisation of care (for example, in cases of involuntary hospitalisation or when only one specialist is available at the hospital).
UZ Leuven places great importance on the relationship of trust between patient and healthcare provider. As a patient, you have the right to freely choose your provider. Article 6 of the Patients’ Rights Act states: “The patient has the right to freely choose their healthcare professional and to change this choice, subject to restrictions imposed by law.”
However, when seeking care from emergency services or on-call medical services across different specialities, this free choice cannot always be guaranteed. Additionally, UZ Leuven’s function as a university training hospital may impose further limitations. Each department ensures that all patients receive high-quality medical care and guidance 24/7, through a structured work schedule. The distribution of tasks between medical specialists (senior staff) and medical trainees (residents) is based on the specific expertise of the senior staff and the need for optimal training of each resident. During a supervised consultation, you will first be seen by a resident, who will discuss their findings with a senior physician (the supervisor). The allocation of work cannot be influenced by non-medical factors such as gender, age, or religion and cannot be adjusted based on your right to choose a doctor.
Similarly, in hospital wards, we apply a pre-arranged work schedule for healthcare providers, such as nurses and care assistants. This system ensures high-quality care for all patients and cannot be modified solely based on your right to choose a provider.
In accordance with the Patients’ Rights Act and ethical standards, you also have the right to refuse treatment or seek care at another hospital. However, in urgent cases, necessary care will be provided whenever possible, without coercion.
The right to free choice is a personal right of the patient and cannot be exercised by others. If necessary, appropriate measures will be taken against any third parties attempting to enforce a choice on the patient’s behalf.
UZ Leuven strongly opposes all forms of discrimination based on age, gender, sexual orientation, skin colour, religion, political beliefs, origin, physical appearance, or any other grounds, both for our patients and for our healthcare providers.
UZ Leuven guarantees optimal and respectful care for each individual patient and expects all patients, as well as those accompanying or representing them, to treat all UZ Leuven staff members with respect.
Additionally, every healthcare professional has the right to discontinue treatment for personal or professional reasons, except in cases of emergency. If a provider discontinues your treatment, they must refer you to another healthcare professional to ensure continuity of care. You may request that a copy of your medical file be sent to your new provider.
Right to know whether a healthcare professional is insured and authorised to practise
As a patient, you have the right to know whether a healthcare professional is insured and authorised to practise their profession.
Being informed about your health condition
You are entitled to all the information necessary to understand your state of health (regarding the diagnosis, even if negative) and its probable evolution. The professional will also tell you what behaviour is consequently desirable (e.g. in the case of risks in pregnancy). They communicate this information to you verbally and in language that is clear to you.
What if you do not wish to receive information?
If you do not wish to receive information about your health condition, you must let this be known in advance and the healthcare professional must respect your wish (e.g. refusal to know whether or not you are a carrier of an incurable disease). The professional will note this in your patient record.
You may designate a trusted person to whom the information will be disclosed at your request. The healthcare professional will also note this request in your medical record, along with the identity of the trusted person.
If the non-disclosure of the information causes serious harm to your health or that of third parties (e.g. infectious disease), the professional does not have to follow this "patient request to not know". In this case, they should consult another professional beforehand and hear the designated trusted person, if any.
What if the information could cause serious harm to your health?
If the professional considers that the information would cause serious harm to your health at a given time, they may withhold certain information from you. For this unusual and temporary course of action, they must seek the advice of a colleague and must add the justification for the withholding of information to the patient file. The sensitive information will, however, be disclosed to the trusted person, if any.
Consent to treatment
As a patient, you have the right to know whether a healthcare professional is insured and authorised to practise. You also have the right to request information about their insurance coverage and their licensing or registration status.
You have the right to give informed, prior, and voluntary consent to any intervention by a healthcare professional. The information will be provided to you in a timely manner and in language you can understand.
This does not mean that the healthcare provider must ask for explicit consent for every minor procedure (e.g. blood sampling, blood pressure measurement). Your behaviour may also indicate consent. If you agree to a treatment, you are generally consenting to all its components. In emergency situations, when it is impossible to determine the will of the patient or their representative, the healthcare professional will carry out all necessary interventions.
Assistance from a trusted person
As a patient, you have the right to be assisted by one or more trusted persons when exercising your patient rights. You determine the scope of this assistance, whether informally (verbally) or more formally (in writing).
If explicitly requested, your trusted person may also act alone, without your presence, to exercise the right to information about your health condition, the right to information regarding a treatment, procedure, or examination (as part of informed consent), as well as the right to access and/or obtain a copy of your medical file. In such cases, a written mandate is recommended.
Access to the medical record
You have the right to a carefully maintained and securely stored medical record. You may request a copy of your medical record. After the patient's death, only indirect access to their patient record is possible for close relatives up to the second degree and only through a professional (only if patient did not object during their lifetime).
Protection of personal privacy
Only the healthcare providers involved or needed for your examination or treatment may be present. The information related to your health condition may not be disclosed to third parties, except in case of legal derogation and if it is necessary for the protection of public health or to protect the rights of others.
At UZ Leuven, you may also be examined, treated and cared for by doctors, nurses and paramedics in training. You should be informed about this in advance. Information about your health may only be disclosed to third parties in exceptional circumstances defined by law.
More information on this can be found in the privacy regulations.
Complaint mediation
If you feel that a patient right has not been respected you can contact the hospital's ombudsman service. The ombudsman service listens, provides information and mediates to promote communication and restore trust between you and healthcare providers.
Pain management
You have a right to pain management. Healthcare providers should pay attention to pain, evaluate pain conditions, treat and relieve pain.
Key considerations
- As a patient, you not only have rights but also a duty to cooperate with healthcare providers to the best of your ability. Give them all necessary and requested information, keep your appointments and follow their advice (medication, diet, etc.). Respect for each other contributes to a good healthcare relationship.
- As a patient, respect the hospital's house rules.
- In exercising your rights, you can be assisted by a self-chosen trusted person.
- If, as a patient, you are unable to exercise your rights yourself, your representative can do so on your behalf. This person is:
- either appointed by you;
- or by the justice of the peace as administrator;
- or through the legal cascade system of family members up to the second degree.
- The hospital counts on correct payment for the services provided. If you have questions about the charging of certain services, please contact the medical administration department in good time. It is always possible to obtain a cost estimate prior to admission.