7 things a doctor shouldn't do with a patient

1. Be rude

An employee of any field can offend, shout and spoil the mood. But hearing this from a doctor is especially unpleasant, because you turn to him for help and do not expect anything bad. However, the problem is widespread: VTsIOM conducted a survey and found out that 32% of Russians personally faced the rude attitude of medical personnel.

If the doctor was rude to you too, you have the right to contact the head of the department and tell about this situation. The last resort is filing a written complaint about rudeness.

An insult is a violation not only of medical ethics, but also of the law. The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation states that humiliation of honor and dignity entails a fine.

2. Refuse emergency care

Health workers should not refuse those who need urgent help. No excuses are accepted, this is clearly spelled out in the law.

You need to understand the terminology. Help can be urgent, urgent and planned. Emergency care is needed when there is a threat to the patient's life. This type of assistance must be provided in any clinic, free of charge and without a policy. Lack of equipment or space cannot be the reason for the failure.

Emergency care (as opposed to planned) cannot be postponed, this can lead to a deterioration in the patient's condition, to a threat to his life and health. Most likely, such assistance will also be provided in the clinic where you were brought in first. The main difference between emergency and urgent care is that in the first case, there is a threat to life right now, in the second, the threat may appear in the future.

But there are exceptions for emergency care. For example, in case of myocardial infarction, the patient will be taken to one of the large regional clinics in order to undergo surgery on the arteries of the heart. If initially the patient was admitted to a small district clinic, there he will be injected with the necessary medications and sent to a larger institution with the necessary equipment. This will be the correct tactic.

If you are not admitted to the hospital because there is no equipment or free places, you can refer to the Federal Law "On the Basics of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation" and demand that they help you. In the first case, you should receive all possible assistance and write a referral to another hospital where this equipment is available. In the second - to place at least in the corridor, if all the wards are occupied.

But this only applies to emergencies. Otherwise, the doctor has the right to refuse to treat you. To do this, he needs to write a statement to the head of the institution.

3. Inspect in the presence of strangers

Of course, not all patients are shy. Someone will not pay attention if a stranger enters the office during the examination. And to some, this situation will seem very unpleasant.

By law, any information obtained during the examination constitutes medical confidentiality. Therefore, the inspection must take place without outsiders. And if someone entered the office, you can remind you of your right to complete confidentiality and ask for an inspection without third parties. In addition to the doctor and the nurse who assists him, only those people to whose presence you have given written consent can be in the office.

4. Treat or vaccinate a patient without his consent

You can be assigned a medical examination, tests, treatment and any other medical intervention only after you have been informed and you have received your voluntary consent to do so. And for a minor, the written consent of the parents or legal guardians is required.

The same goes for vaccinations. The doctor can tell you about the benefits of vaccination, make a compelling case, and try to persuade you. But he cannot force. The Federal Law "On immunization of infectious diseases" says that citizens have the right to refuse vaccination.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate children, it is up to their parents or legal guardians to decide. But they must understand that this decision will have consequences. In the absence of vaccinations, you may be denied entry to some countries, refused admission to educational organizations and health institutions, not hired or removed from it.

If you or your child has been tested without asking, forced to get vaccinated or to take unknown medications, you can file a complaint with your city's health committee. The guilty will be punished.

5. Demand money for the services provided for by the MHI policy

The list of services that you can receive under the compulsory medical insurance policy is specified in the Program of State Guarantees for the Free Provision of Medical Aid to Citizens. If you doubt that the required service is included in the list, check with the insurance company that issued you the policy. The company number is on the policy itself.

Albert Murtazin Healthcare Organizer, Director of Digital Products at GEOTAR, author of the Smart Medicine Telegram channel

The clinic cannot refuse to provide assistance prescribed in the State Guarantee Program. But there are cases when a clinic working under compulsory medical insurance can provide the same services for a fee.

An example is any research. The clinic has 14 days to perform simple examinations, a month to perform CT, MRI and angiography. If you are scheduled for an MRI in 20 days, and you want in a week, then you will have to pay money for it. There is one more case concerning diagnostics - if you want to undergo an examination of your own free will. For example, you want to do an ultrasound scan, but the doctor did not recommend this to you.

A few more services that can be provided for a fee: accommodation in small-sized wards, an individual medical observation post in a hospital (the patient will have a separate nurse) and the use of drugs that are not included in the list of vital and essential drugs.

6. Refuse assistance if the patient has an old-style policy

To receive free medical care, you need to have a compulsory medical insurance policy in one of three options:

Old-style policy - A5 paper form, which contains general information about you, the policy number and the barcode.
The new policy is a plastic card with a special chip.
The universal electronic card (UEC) is an identification document, which also serves as an OMC policy.

Paper and plastic policies are perpetual, which means that you cannot be denied help with them. But UEC is issued only for five years.

Albert Murtazin Healthcare Organizer, Director of Digital Products at GEOTAR, author of the Smart Medicine Telegram channel

To get help, it is enough to know the policy number or even the name of the insurance company. It is important to get a policy at least once by choosing an insurance company that operates in your region of residence. You can choose on the website. If you choose an insurance company now, you will receive a policy in the form of a plastic card. But the paper versions "work" the same way.

Do not delay contacting a doctor, even if you do not know the policy number. You can call the insurance company and find out your policy number based on your personal data.

Emergency medical care must be provided in any clinic (including a private one) free of charge, regardless of the presence of a policy.

7. Refuse to replace the attending physician

The patient has the right to choose a medical institution and an attending physician. If you have a conflict with a doctor, or for some reason you do not want him to treat you, you can ask the head physician for a replacement. To do this, you need to write a statement and indicate the reason.

Here is a list of doctors you may need to replace:

therapist;
local therapist;
pediatrician;
local pediatrician;
general practitioner (family);
paramedic.

You can also change the clinic. To do this, you need to attach to another institution: submit a written application and wait for the transfer. You must be transferred unless the clinic is overcrowded.

However, you can only replace the attending physician and the clinic once a year, unless you have moved to another place.