The Patient Ombudsman explains that facilities are not allowed to charge for some of the services that we can use while in hospital. Among the facilities mentioned by the spokesman there were, among others using an electric kettle or a hospital locker.
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While in hospitals, we were asked many times to pay a small fee for the use of equipment in a facility that has a contract with the National Health Fund (NFZ). The Patients’ Rights Ombudsman explains and reminds that in certain cases it is inconsistent with applicable law.
The spokesman points out that hospitals performing their duties under the contract signed with the National Health Fund cannot demand a fee from patients for the use of equipment present in the facility. The MPC indicates that such services include, inter alia, using an electric kettle, a cupboard or other elements of hospital infrastructure. Hospitals are also not allowed to charge patients for the use of electricity.
According to the information posted on the government website gov.pl, medical facilities that have signed contracts with the National Health Fund cannot demand money from us for charging a phone or laptop. “These elements should be classified as accompanying services related to the accommodation of the patient and therefore they fall within the scope of services financed from public funds” – we read on gov.pl.
The Ombudsman emphasizes that patients staying in hospitals did not go there voluntarily and that “it is simply unethical to charge such charges in a special place, such as a hospital”. What is included in the services financed from public funds is stated in the Act of 27 August 2004 on healthcare services financed from public funds.
In addition, the Supreme Administrative Court stated in its judgment of September 28, 2018 that charging a patient for the use of equipment by a patient at the facility at which he or she is staying is illegal. Introducing provisions allowing for the collection of such a fee to the regulations of a given hospital is a breach of the law.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to self-compassion – a trend that has developed very strongly in the United States, but is still in its infancy in Poland. What is it and how does it affect our daily functioning? You will hear about this and many other issues related to self-compassion in the latest episode of our podcast.