TREATMENT AND PATIENT OMBUDSMAN

The patient ombudsman for Niuvanniemi Hospital, in accordance with Section 11 of the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients, is social worker Markku Kekäläinen, tel. +358 295 242 455 (or in case of absence, her deputy, social worker Tuija Vanamo, tel. +358 295 242 327).

Patients may contact the patient ombudsman either directly or through the nurse, by telephone or letter. Personal appointments can be arranged if necessary.

Section 11 - Patient ombudsman
A patient ombudsman shall be appointed for health care units. The patient ombudsman may also be common to two or more units.

The tasks of a patient ombudsman are:

to advise patients in issues concerning the application of this Act;
to help patients in the matters referred to in paragraphs 1 and 3 of section 10;
to inform patients of their rights; and
to otherwise act for the promotion and implementation of patients' rights.

According to Section 10 of the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients, a patient not satisfied with the health care and related treatment received has the right to submit an objection to the hospital management, in this case Senior Physician Eila Tiihonen, Niuvanniemi Hospital, 70240 Kuopio.

Section 10 - Objections

A patient who is not satisfied with the health care or medical care and the related treatment received by him/her has the right to submit an objection on the matter to the director responsible for health care in the health care unit in question. Decision on the objection has to be given within a reasonable time after its submission.
Submitting an objection does not restrict the right of a patient to appeal to the authorities controlling health care or medical care about the care or related treatment received by him/her.

If, when the objection is dealt with, it becomes obvious that the care or other treatment of the patient may cause liability for patient injury as referred to in the Patient Injury Act (585/1986), indemnification liability referred to in the Act of Torts (412/1974), the taking of legal action, the cancelling or restricting of the right of vocational practice or disciplinary proceedings referred to in the legislation on vocational practice of health care staff or disciplinary proceedings meant in other law, the patient shall be advised as to how the matter can be initiated by a competent authority or organ.