May patients refuse medical care in Vietnam in all cases? Do patients have the obligations to observe medical examination and treatment regulations in Vietnam?
- May patients refuse medical care in Vietnam in all cases?
- Do patients have the obligations to observe medical examination and treatment regulations in Vietnam?
- Do patients have the obligations to respect practitioners and other persons on duty at medical establishments in Vietnam?
- Vietnam: Shall patients holding health insurance policies be liable for healthcare bill payment?
May patients refuse medical care in Vietnam in all cases?
Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 13 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023 on the right to refuse medical services and leave medical establishments:
Right to refuse medical services and leave medical establishments
1. Patients may refuse medical care, but must commit themselves in writing to take responsibility for their refusal after being consulted by practitioners, except for those subject to the involuntary treatment requirement specified in clause 1 of Article 82 herein.
2. Patients may leave medical establishments before the end of the course of their medical treatment to the neglect of practitioners’ medical instructions, but must commit themselves in writing to take responsibility for their leaving, except for those subject to the involuntary treatment requirement specified in clause 1 of Article 82 herein.
Thus, patients may refuse medical care, but must commit themselves in writing to take responsibility for their refusal after being consulted by practitioners.
However, patients are not allowed to refuse medical care in the cases of involuntary treatment specified in clause 1 of Article 82 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023.
Pursuant to clause 1 of Article 82 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023 on involuntary treatment:
Involuntary treatment
1. Patient cases subject to the involuntary treatment requirements in accordance with this Law shall be defined as follows:
a) Persons suffering from group-A infectious diseases that are defined in laws on prevention and control of infectious diseases;
b) Persons with depression susceptible to suicidal thoughts and behaviors; persons with mental illness in an agitated state that is likely to harm himself or with behaviors harming other persons, or destroying property;
c) Others defined by law.
2. The Government shall regulate involuntary treatment measures applied to those defined in clause 1 of this Article.
Patient cases subject to the involuntary treatment requirements in accordance with this Law shall be defined as follows:
- Persons suffering from group-A infectious diseases that are defined in laws on prevention and control of infectious diseases;
- Persons with depression susceptible to suicidal thoughts and behaviors; persons with mental illness in an agitated state that is likely to harm himself or with behaviors harming other persons, or destroying property;
- Others defined by law.
Therefore, not every patient has the right to refuse medical examination and treatment.
May patients refuse medical care in Vietnam in all cases? (Image from the Internet)
Do patients have the obligations to observe medical examination and treatment regulations in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 17 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023 on the obligations to observe medical examination and treatment regulations:
Obligations to observe medical examination and treatment regulations
1. Provide authentic information and bear responsibility for information relating to their identities and health status; fully cooperate with practitioners and other staff at medical establishments.
2. Comply with regulations on medical diagnosis and therapies prescribed or consulted by practitioners.
3. Comply with and request patients’ family members, relatives or visitors to comply with hospital etiquettes and laws on medical examination and treatment.
Thus, patients have the obligations to observe medical examination and treatment regulations. To be specific:
- Provide authentic information and bear responsibility for information relating to their identities and health status; fully cooperate with practitioners and other staff at medical establishments.
- Comply with regulations on medical diagnosis and therapies prescribed or consulted by practitioners.
- Comply with and request patients’ family members, relatives or visitors to comply with hospital etiquettes and laws on medical examination and treatment.
Do patients have the obligations to respect practitioners and other persons on duty at medical establishments in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 16 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023 on obligations to respect practitioners and other persons on duty at medical establishments:
Obligations to respect practitioners and other persons on duty at medical establishments
Patients should respect practitioners; shall be prohibited from performing any act of threatening or infringing upon the life and health, or offending the honor and dignity, of practitioners and other staff members at medical establishments.
Thus, patients should respect practitioners; shall be prohibited from performing any act of threatening or infringing upon the life and health, or offending the honor and dignity, of practitioners and other staff members at medical establishments.
Vietnam: Shall patients holding health insurance policies be liable for healthcare bill payment?
Pursuant to Article 18 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023 on obligations to pay healthcare bills:
Obligations to pay healthcare bills
1. Patients holding health insurance policies shall be liable for all costs and expenses that are paid for medical services that are not covered, or greater than the maximum coverage percentages as defined in laws on health insurance.
2. Patients not holding any health insurance policies shall be obliged to pay medical services in accordance with laws.
Patients holding health insurance policies shall be liable for all costs and expenses that are paid for medical services that are not covered, or greater than the maximum coverage percentages as defined in laws on health insurance.
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