VFN internal order

Other language versions of the VFN Internal Rules:

Dear Visitors, Family Members, Visitors,

We welcome you to the General University Hospital in Prague. Thank you for the trust you have placed in us by seeking out the care and services we provide.

The General University Hospital in Prague (hereinafter referred to as the “GUH”) is a public sector organisation which provides basic, specialised and particular specialised care to children and adults in all basic fields. The GUH has 43 healthcare workplaces, clinics, institutes and separate departments. The hospital’s website presents the basic characteristics of these workplaces, including the most important contact details.

The hospital’s comprehensive healthcare teams are ready to provide you with top health care and help you to get back to an active lifestyle. You, too, can help by being responsible in your approach to treatment and by following the rules and recommendations of the doctor and nursing staff to faster acclimatization and treatment during your stay in our hospital.

The GUH is the educational base of the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, secondary and higher vocational schools and universities. Future doctors, general practice nurses and other healthcare professionals are trained here. So we will welcome your understanding for this activity of our hospital. However, as the patient you are entitled to refuse the presence of these persons. You must always inform the doctor and nursing staff of this fact.

Your hospital stay

Identification and information

If your health condition requires that you stay in hospital, i.e. hospitalisation, your will have to undergo an initial examination first and then subsequent hospitalisation at a specific department. On admission present your identity card and health insurance card. Hand over the requested medical documents to the doctor and nursing staff such as laboratory test results, pre-operative assessment report, etc., recommendation for hospitalisation, inform of the issued e-Sicknote, document for family member care etc.

During the admission your will be provided with information regarding the further procedure and on the basis of this information you will be asked to sign a hospitalisation consent form. After being admitted to hospital you will have an identification bandattached (most commonly to your wrist) for increased safety and making sure you are clearly identified before you undergo all interventions and procedures, etc. Please keep this wristband throughout your stay in hospital.

The bed may be marked with your name and surname as a quick guide for nursing staff, particularly in a room containing more beds. If you do not agree to have your bed marked with your personal details, inform the nursing staff of this fact and they will accept your wish and request.

The nursing staff will also inform you of the rules of staying in the department, including measures and hygiene rules. You will have a summary of this information available to you throughout your hospitalisation in the Department House Rules.

Personal items

Bring your personal care and hygiene items (toiletries, towel, slippers, dressing gown, etc.). You can use your own bed linen upon agreement with the nursing staff.

Valuable items, money

Please do not bring a greater amount of money, jewellery, valuables and expensive items to hospital. If you cannot give these items to your relatives and family, you can hand them over to the nursing staff, which will ensure they are kept safe. The GUH cannot be held liable if you keep these items with you despite the possibility of their safekeeping.

We cannot be held liable for any consumer electronics you bring with you. You must look after such devices explicitly permitted by the attending doctor which you have not handed over for safekeeping. For the time that you cannot personally look after these items (for example when being provided with healthcare services), there is a place at the specific department where these items can be kept. The nursing staff will be happy to provide you with information.

Do not leave personal items unattended and lock them away in the bedside table etc., which is available to you throughout your hospitalisation. Please keep your clothes and footwear in the room cupboard or in space reserved for this purpose.

Internal rule

To increase your safety, it is not allowed to bring in and keep any weapons, ammunition and hazardous substances into the hospital. If you have a weapon with you, you must unconditionally inform the nursing staff of this fact which in cooperation with the Police of the Czech Republic will ensure it is stored in accordance with valid legal regulations.

In view of the legitimate interests of the hospital, a camera system is in operation on the grounds (in indoor and outdoor spaces) of the GUH.

It is prohibited without the express consent of the nursing staff or other persons to make any video recordings, including photographs showing an employee, other patient, etc., using a private or business mobile device, i.e. a mobile phone, tablet, camera, etc., in accordance with Act No. 89/2012 Coll., the Civil Code, as amended.

While staying in hospital, it is prohibited to consume alcoholic drinks and addictive substances. There is a no smoking rule in all rooms of the hospital. Violating the alcohol or other addictive substance ban and doctor’s no smoking recommendation can be regarded as not complying with the individual treatment procedure and treatment schedule with all the consequences that arise from this.

If you are addicted to tobacco, you can seek the help of experts of the Centra pro závislé na tabáku (Tobacco Addiction Centre). Contact the nursing staff for more information.

The hospital has a wireless (WiFi) internet connection for patients and visitors. This connection is free.
Hospital visitors have access limited to 2 hours per day whereas hospitalised patients have unlimited access throughout their hospitalisation. Buildings covered by a signal are marked with the WiFi network logo. The name for WiFi (SSID network) connection is “vfn-internet-free”.

We are ready to provide you with spiritual support and pastoral care depending on your spiritual needs. For more information contact the nursing staff.

Patients' rights

Patients’ rights and obligations are published on the hospital’s website and are also available at all wards. The website contains basic information about rules and measures concerning the provision of healthcare services at the GUH such as information concerning hospitalisation, basic information for child patients and parents, information for pregnant women, etc.

The presence of a legally acceptable representative of a child or a patient with limited legal capacity is not permitted in the areas of operating theatres or in other specific areas requiring compliance with a special hygiene-epidemiology schedule to reduce the risk of adverse perioperative conditions and complications, and a possible negative impact on the quality of healthcare services provided to patients.

Each workplace has specific areas in its House Rules in which a healthcare professional will take over the care of a child patient or patient with limited legal capacity from the legally accepted representative before operative or invasive intervention.

A patient with a sensory or physical disability who uses a specially trained dog (guide or assistance dog), has the right to have the dog with him/her with regard to his/her current health condition.

Visits

The recommended visiting hours are set daily according to the operation of the department (Workplace House Rules) with regard to your health condition. The presence of your family depends on the operational conditions of individual workplaces which you will be informed of by the nursing staff.

We ask that your visits do not disturb the operation of the department and other patients. It is prohibited to leave children unattended.

Treatment

If you bring your own medicines when admitted to hospital, please inform the nursing staff and hand over the medicines for safekeeping. Ward patients cannot take the medicines they bring with them (only with exceptions based on the consent of the attending doctor) and are obliged to hand them over in their original packaging to the nursing staff which will only be administered by them.

As a patient you have the right to full comprehensive information about your disease and the necessary treatment procedures. In case of any lack of clarity, you can refer to your attending doctor or chief physician or head of the workplace in question.

Catering

The attending doctor sets the meals and diet of patients. It is in our common interest for you to follow diet recommendations and help with the course of treatment, because following an appropriate diet plan is an important part of the treatment.

You can consume your own food that you bring with you in accordance with the set diet plan after prior consultation with the attending doctor and under the following conditions:

ready-made meals must be consumed immediately as they cannot be stored even in a chilled place,
other food must be consumed by the expiry of the best before date,
perishable foods cannot be kept in a bedside table or at a window, but only in refrigerators reserved for this purpose, if available, after the being marked with your name and date of storage.

Small snacks and a selection of hot and cold meals and drinks can be offered by the restaurant in building A9 (the main area of the hospital) and the bistro in building A5 (the main area of the hospital), the building of the Clinic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, the Urology Clinic and the Faculty Polyclinic.

Reimbursement of care

If the health care provided is not reimbursed from public health insurance or paid for from the patient’s contractual insurance, you are obliged to pay the GUH directly for this care.

You are also obliged to pay for the emergency charge of the amount set by valid legal regulations. You can pay the charges directly at the department through payment machines, at cash desks or receptions or through an SMS messaging service. If you have any other questions please contact the nursing staff.

The patient will pay for interventions made at his/her request that are not covered by public health insurance according to the prices in the price list of interventions covered outside health insurance which is displayed at the relevant department and published on the GUH website.

You have the option at a charge set in the above-standard room price list, to pay extra for accommodation offering more comfort. The nursing staff will provide you with information about the options and free capacity of these rooms.

End of care

Your attending doctor will inform you of the date of discharge from hospital. If you do not agree with the date, please inform the attending doctor of your reason. On discharge you will receive a discharge report (or preliminary discharge report) and you will be instructed by the attending doctor about the further procedure of treatment, plan and any check-up dates.

Please return all borrowed items, pick up items kept at the department or Main Hospital Cash Desk and check that you have not forgotten anything.

We wish you a speedy recovery.

Prof. MUDr. David Feltl, Ph.D., MBA

Director