ABSTRACT
This chapter describes five different institutions that serve to protect the rights of patients in Hungary. The first is the institution of the Ombudsman, which is called the Parliamentary Commissioner on Citizens' Rights by Hungarian law. The second is a patients' rights model that has been introduced in the civil sphere, represented and epitomised by the Szoszolo organisation. The third alternative is the institution of the patients' rights representative, introduced in the year 2000 and based on the provisions of the Health Care Act of 1997. The fourth is the patient-initiated complaint procedure within healthcare institutions. The fifth is the approach that can be used by patients when they are dissatisfied with the quality of their medical care. This was introduced in the 1997 Health Care Act. Patients' rights legislation is a very important tool in creating a better doctor-patient relationship and higher quality medical care.
