The FDPIC has published a factsheet on the forms that are given to patients to sign when they go to the doctor
Patients regularly have questions about the purpose and content of the forms they are given when they consult a doctor. The FDPIC has published a factsheet to remind the data protection framework and clarify its details.
In response to questions regularly received about the forms given to patients during medical consultations, the FDPIC has drawn up a factsheet. It takes account of the various opinions expressed on the subject and aims to clarify a number of issues raised by these forms:
- the distinction between the duty to provide information on data collection and the issue of patient consent to data processing;
- secure data communication;
- the question of proportionality, i.e. what data a patient can legitimately be asked to provide.
The FDPIC is aiming to provide patients with useful information, but above all to make medical service providers and their professional associations aware of the requirements of the Federal Act on Data Protection. It expects them to adapt their forms and practices if necessary.
This factsheet has been written with the doctor-patient relationship in mind. Essentially, however, the principles also apply to the private practice of other therapeutic professions.