My Rights as a Patient patient must be involved as much as possible in making decisions on the course of examination and treatment. In such cases, the representative is usually the patient's next of kin. This could be their cohabiting spouse or partner, children or other relatives. However, there is no requirement for this person to be a relative or family member; anyone else who is particularly close to the patient may be considered as well. The healthcare professional in charge will assess each situation in this respect. 3. Duty of Confidentiality Any employee in the Danish public sector has a duty of confidentiality with regard to any personal and health-related information obtained in the course of their work. This usually means that any information you provide on such issues must not be passed on to others. This rule applies to all healthcare professionals, including those who are self-employed or privately employed such as GPs and physiotherapists. However, if you are undergoing treatment that requires you to be treated by more than one person or at different locations, it applies that any necessary information about your health status may be passed on to those persons who will be providing your further treatment. This is also the case if you receive continuous treatment provided by your own doctor. You have the right to object to information being passed on. Because of the duty of confidentiality, as next of kin you are only entitled to receive information about the health of another person, e.g. your spouse, if that person has given their consent to such disclosure. Exceptions Information may be passed to other parties, e.g. other authorities, insurance providers etc., provided that: • you have given your written consent that certain information may be passed on or • this is required by law or • this is deemed necessary in order to safeguard the welfare of yourself or others. Electronic information about your healthAny doctor, midwife, nurse, social and healthcare assistant or radiographer who is involved in your treatment is entitled to retrieve information from electronic systems about your health status and other confidential information, provided this is required in relation to your treatment. Other healthcare professionals have a similar right; this, however, is limited to retrieving electronic information from the department with which you are associated. This information, which will be treated in confidence, may be used for instance in the training of junior doctors or as part of efforts to improve the quality of hospital services. You have the right to insist that no electronic information about you shall be retrieved during your treatment. 4. Access to your medical records Your medical records must contain all significant information about the reason for you seeking medical assistance, your diagnosis, the course of your illness, your prescribed medication, the results of any examinations and the course of any operations. Information about your treatment and your consent to this treatment must also be included in your records. You can ask the person who provides your treatment to let you view your records or give you a copy to keep. A healthcare professional can help you interpret the contents of your records if you so wish. Your right to access your medical records only applies if you are aged 15 years or over. Other people are not allowed to view your records without your permission. As a general rule, however, parents are allowed to view the records of children below the age of 18, whereas other closely related people, e.g. married couples, do not have an immediate right to view each other's records. If you have made a request to view (gain access to) your medical records, you are entitled to receive a reply within 7 working days. 2/7
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