The involvement of patients and relatives in care

Your own active participation in matters related to your medical care is important for the recuperation process. The staff will be happy to advice you on what you can do yourself and when you should ask for help. You may also consider talking to relatives and other close friends about your care, as they may offer you support and help in many ways.

You have the right to receive information and clear instructions related to your care from the medical staff. If however, you find yourself in need of more information after leaving the hospital, please contact the nurses of the ward where you stayed. 

 

Confidentiality

All information related to patient's medical condition or personal matters are strictly confidential and the hospital staff and students are sworn to secrecy. Hospital staff wishes that patients would respect the privacy of fellow patients and treat all information about other patients as confidential.

Social workers

The leading social worker is in charge of the social work and may be contacted by telephone.  Every health care unit has one or more social workers that you may contact directly or through the staff. They can offer help with your illness and rehabilitation by providing information about the social security system and various services that are available to you. You and your family can discuss your personal situation and the difficulties that you may encounter in every day life and discuss the different available options. You can also contact the social worker if you need information or practical assistance in matters related to patient rights, such as patient injury claims.  Additional information about social workers will be available on the hospital notice boards.

Patient ombudsman

A patient ombudsman can offer guidance and information to patients, their relatives and hospital staff in matters related to patient rights. If there are problems or unresolved issues related to your medical care or the way you were treated, please discuss the matter first with the nursing staff or your attending physician. 

The patient ombudsman will assist and facilitate in the handling and resolution of conflicts and disputes.  If, however, conflict resolution fails, the ombudsman can assist in submitting a complaint of ill-treatment or filing a patient injury claim. The ombudsman will not give rulings or comment on medical issues, as supervision of the health care sector is done by authorities who are independent of the hospital. The ombudsman for the Oulu University Hospital hospital, including the psychiatric unit, is the leading social worker. You may reach the ombudsman on weekdays by phone (+358 40 762 6285). Face-to-face appointments need to be booked in advance.

 

Objections

If you are dissatisfied with the way you have been treated, we advice you to contact the staff first in order to resolve the issue. You also have  the right to submit an objection to the director of the medical unit. Complaints should be sent to the hospital where the incidence took place (addresses below). The objection will be registered there and forwarded to the director of the unit in question.

 

Oulu University Hospital	Oulaskangas Hospital	Tahkokangas Institution
The Northern Ostrobotnia Hospital District The Registry/ Kirjaamo	Medical director	Chief physician
P.O. Box 10	P.O. Box 100	P.O. Box 35
90029 OYS	86301 OULAINEN	90029 OYS

 
You may write a letter describing the nature of your objection or you can use a  Patient's feedback form on care or mistreatment. The following details should be included:

• Your name, social security number and contact details
• The object of your objection (medical unit or a person etc.)
• The time when the incident happened
• The nature of objection, i.e. what happened, what kind of problems occurred etc.
• Date and your signature (also in block letters)

Please note that you can not claim for compensation with the Patient's feedback form on care or mistreatment; for compensation claims a compensation claim form must be used. You will be given a written response to your objection. You may not appeal the decision on the objection (Act on the status and rights of patients, section 15).

Filing an objection does not restrict your right to file a complaint to the health care sector supervisory authorities, such as Regional State Administrative Agency, VALVIRA (National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health), the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice.

If needed, the patient ombudsman can help you with drafting the objection.