The patients' rights law: your rights when you see a doctor

The law on patients’ rights (Legea drepturilor pacientului, Law no. 46/2003) sets out the fundamental rights of anyone who receives medical care, whether in a hospital, a clinic or a doctor’s practice.

The right to information

Every patient has the right to receive clear and accessible information about:

• their state of health;
• the recommended investigations;
• the diagnosis made;
• the proposed treatments;
• their risks and benefits;
• the available therapeutic alternatives.

The information must be given in language that is easy to understand, adapted to the patient’s level of knowledge.

The right to informed consent

No medical intervention may be carried out without the patient’s consent, except in the situations provided for by law. The patient has the right to accept or refuse a medical procedure after receiving all the information needed to make an informed decision.

The right to confidentiality

Medical data, the diagnosis, test results and the information discussed during the consultation are confidential. They may be disclosed to other people only with the patient’s consent or in the situations expressly provided for by law.

The right of access to your medical data

You have the right to know your own medical data. You can ask to see what the medical documents about you contain: test results, diagnosis, treatments and the recommendations you received.

The right to respect and non-discrimination

Every patient has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, without any discrimination on grounds of race, sex, age, ethnicity, national or social origin, religion or political opinion.

The right to a second medical opinion

The patient can request and obtain a second medical opinion when they want confirmation or an additional perspective on the diagnosis and the treatment plan.

The right to continuity of care

The patient has the right to receive continuous medical care and clear recommendations on follow-up monitoring and treatment, including after discharge or after the end of a consultation.

Why it is worth knowing your rights

Knowing your rights encourages a relationship of collaboration and trust between patient and doctor. When the patient is informed, listened to and involved in decisions about their own health, medical care becomes more effective and closer to their real needs.

The text of the law

You can read the current version on Romania’s official legislation portal: Patients’ Rights Law no. 46/2003 (updated version, in Romanian).

See also: Psychiatry