Code of Ethics

Annex Nr. 4 to Legal Act Nr. 578/2004 Coll.

The role of the healthcare professional is to practice his or her work conscientiously, honestly, with a deep connection to humanity, in accordance with legal regulations, within the scope of available knowledge of the medical and biomedical sciences, including the technical and material equipment of the healthcare facility where he or she operates.

General responsibilities of the healthcare professional:

1. The highest responsibility of the healthcare professional is to provide professional care for the health of an individual and the society as a whole, in accordance with the principles of humanity, and with respect to human life from its conception until the end, while respecting the dignity of each individual.
2. It is the healthcare professional’s duty to save life, protect, support and restore health, prevent disease, and mitigate suffering, regardless of nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, social status, moral or mental capacity or reputation of the patient.
3. The healthcare professional fulfils his or her duties in accordance with the legally binding regulations.
4. On any given occasion, the healthcare professional is obliged to make professional decisions that are independent, responsible, and reliable.
5. A healthcare professional enables patients to use their right to choose their healthcare professional freely.

Healthcare professionals and their work performance:

1. A healthcare professional performs preventative, diagnostic, and medical treatments within the scope of his or her professional competence and in line with the state-of-the-art scientific practices.
2. A healthcare professional performs his or her duties even in situations involving public threat or any natural or other catastrophes.
3. A healthcare professional shall not be forced to perform or collaborate on a treatment that is in conflict with his or her conscience, except in cases of immediate threat to life or health of the people. If a healthcare professional applies a conscientious objection, he or she is obliged to inform the employer of that fact, as well as to inform his or her patients accordingly while providing them with health care services.
4. A healthcare professional must not prescribe or administer medical drugs that create an addiction or have the effects of doping in any other way than for the purposes of a medical treatment.
5. In case of patients who are terminally ill and dying, a healthcare professional mitigates pain and suffering, respects the human dignity and the patient’s wishes in accordance with the legislation. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are impermissible.
6. A healthcare professional is obliged to continually improve his or her professional growth and education.
7. A healthcare professional is obliged to protect the medical records from unauthorised changes, destruction, or misuse accordingly.
8. A healthcare professional is not allowed to prescribe inefficient diagnostic, medical or other treatments of their own volition nor based on a consultation with other professionals.
9. With respect to the prescription and recommendation of medical drugs, medical aids and dietetic food, a healthcare professional must not base his or her decision on commercial aspects, but solely on the practices of medical science, professional judgement, own conscience, and the patient’s needs.
10. A healthcare professional is allowed to participate at presentations on professional medical topics in public, print media, radio, television and at related discussions.
11. A healthcare professional is not allowed to use any dishonourable practices leading to a larger number of patients. It is forbidden to initiate such activities via third parties. Advertising of personal practice, healthcare facilities and the used diagnostic and medical methods is permitted. The advertisement must be truthful, moderate, highly informative, and it must not carry any signs of anti-competitive practices. The text of the advertisement and its publication must not disparage the seriousness of the healthcare professionals’ profession.
12. A healthcare professional must be aware of his or her position, role in the society, and impact on the environment.

Healthcare professionals vis-à-vis the patients:

1. A healthcare professional fulfils his or her professional duties in relation to the patient.
2. A healthcare professional treats the patient with fairness and understanding, with patience and respect for the patient’s intimacy, and will not stoop to gross or immoral conduct. A healthcare professional respects the patient as an equal partner with all respective civil rights and obligations, including the responsibility for his or her own health.
3. A healthcare professional must not assist nor participate in violating the honour and dignity of a person. Every healthcare professional is obliged to notify the competent authorities on suspicion of rough or cruel treatment and abuse of a patient, especially a minor and a person deprived of legal capacity.
4. A healthcare professional is obliged to instruct the patient or his or her legal representative in an understandable manner and within the scope of his or her abilities about the nature of the disease, intended diagnostic and treatment procedures including risks, the considered prognosis and other important circumstances that may arise during the diagnostics and treatment.
5. A healthcare professional is obliged to obtain the informed consent of the patient, his or her legal representative or an authorized representative before providing irreversible medical treatment.
6. A healthcare professional must not abuse the patient’s trust and dependence in any way. Any information obtained during the performance of the healthcare profession remains confidential during the patient’s life, as well as after his or her death.

Relations among healthcare professionals

1. The relations among healthcare professionals are based on mutual recognition of individual healthcare professions; honest, decent, and socially correct behaviour combined with critical difficulty, respect for competences and recognition of the right to freedom of opinion.
2. The healthcare professionals who simultaneously or subsequently examine, treat, or care for the same patient cooperate with each other.
3. The healthcare professionals are obliged to ask another healthcare professional for consultation whenever the circumstances demand it, and the patient agrees with it. They have a right to propose a consultant. The conclusions of the conciliar examination should be documented in writing, and it is obligatory to inform the patient about them, especially in cases where there’s a difference in opinion among the healthcare professionals.
4. The healthcare professionals may not provide healthcare in the presence of a person who is not a healthcare professional. An exception to the previously stated rule is a person who allows the healthcare professional to perform First Aid; or a person who is a student at the given healthcare facility; or another person whose presence is allowed by the patient.
5. A healthcare professional must not support any activities by a non-health care worker, that can only be performed by a healthcare professional.

Doctor, dentist, and other professionals in healthcare:

1. A doctor or a dentist may not provide healthcare in the presence of a person who is not a doctor or a dentist and does not belong to the healthcare professionals. An exception to the previously stated rule is a person who allows a doctor or a dentist to perform First Aid; or a person who is at work or in training at the doctor’s office; or another person whose presence is allowed by the patient.
2. A healthcare professional must not support any activities by a non-health care worker, that can only be performed by a healthcare professional.