Abstract

The first part of the two-part study devoted to the issue of restricting the exercise of patients’ rights in the times of the epidemic discusses the reasons for introducing the institution of patients’ rights into the Polish system of law, the substance of these rights and measures for their protection. Analysed has been also Art. 5 of the Act on patients’ rights and the Patients Ombudsman, which is the legal basis for applying any restriction on the exercise of patients’ rights in the event of a threat of an epidemic or with a view to patients’ health security or the organizational capacity of a healthcare provider. The interpretation of this article allowed for drawing several conclusions as to the scope of permissible restrictions of the exercise of patients’ rights.