The Ombudsman's involvement in ensuring patients' rights.

An analysis has been carried out on the extent and character of patient complaints regarding physicians' conduct, received by the Danish Parliament's Ombudsman during the period 1983-1993. Only a few of the complaints to the Ombudsman are treated completely or partially, because the Ombudsman only examines the administrative handling of the case, and declines to consider the medical opinion. The consequences of the actions chosen by the Ombudsman, regarding ensuring patients' rights, are discussed. In the light of the establishment of more local patient ombudsman systems, there is an ongoing discussion as to just how effective these will be to ensure the legal rights of patients. The possibility of establishing a national patient ombudsman is also discussed.