Your rights as a patient

Objection

If you are displeased with your treatment or how you were addressed, you may file a written objection using the appropriate form to the director in charge of medical care at the unit where you were treated. You may also file a written objection by letter, as long as all the details specified on the form are included. A response must be returned to an objection within a reasonable time. The purpose of an objection is to resolve misunderstandings and to restore confidence in treatment.

Sign your objection and send it to: HUS Joint Authority, Central Registry, PO Box 200, FI-00029 HUS.

Correction to patient records

You also have the right to demand that any errors found in patient records be corrected. 

More on requesting patient documents can be found on the “After treatment” page.

Patient injury report

If, in processing an objection, it emerges that a patient injury has been caused in your treatment or in addressing you, the Patient Ombudsman will advise you how to file a patient injury report. Patient injury reports are to be filed with the Patient Insurance Centre. You should apply for compensation within three years of the time when you became aware of or should have become aware of the injury.

Complaint

You may file a complaint with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) if a case of suspected patient injury concerns a patient who has died or been seriously injured in care, or if there is a need to intervene in the right of a health care professional to practice. All other complaints are handled by the relevant Regional State Administrative Agency.

Claim for compensation

Material damage consists for instance of a patient losing a dental prosthetic or breaking their eyeglasses during treatment at a hospital as the result of an error or negligence committed by a staff member. In such cases, you may file a claim for compensation in writing. 

Liability for compensation is provided for in the Tort Liability Act.