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Patients, care and autonomy · France and Switzerland : separate country-labelled rules

Hospital complaints: organise the patient file

A hospital complaint should state the care episode, institutional concern, previous contact and requested response. France's patient-commission and mediation routes are different from compensation proceedings or debt disputes. Swiss patient-complaint arrangements require the relevant institution and canton. Organising the correspondence clarifies the request without deciding medical fault or promising a payment from the hospital.

  • Hospital events
  • Concern and requested outcome
  • Complaint and receipt
  • Mediation and response
Go to the toolSee the texts cited
  • Official texts cited
  • Sources checked on
  • Drafted with AI assistance, our method

By the AlphaDeep legal editorial team

General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.

Julie by AlphaDeep

Illustrative conversation
Example question

What is the French users' commission's role?

Julie Illustration

L1112-3 concerns rights and quality improvement. Its mission does not itself confer a general damages-award power.

Read the references

Your question concerns “Hospital complaints: organise the patient file”. I can help organise the facts and records. Which document have you received or prepared, and is this a French or Swiss matter?

French law

3 free questions at signup. Avoid names and sensitive information.

Answer

What hospital problem needs explaining?

Record place, dates, service and observed events. Separate reception, information and care concerns without assuming established fault.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

Tool

Which records are still missing from your file?

Indicate which records you have. The result identifies gaps and prepares a complete question for Julie, without requiring an account.

julie://tool/guichetNothing leaves your browser

Answers stay on this page until you explicitly continue to Julie. Avoid names and sensitive information.

Fictional example · Your preparation

Point to complete: Mediation and response. France distinguishes medical and non-medical mediators. Geneva's supervisory or mediation framework has its own competence and standing rules.

Hospital events
Record available
Concern and requested outcome
Record available
Complaint and receipt
Record available
Mediation and response
Needs checking
Records indicated
3 / 4
  1. Which mediation route is relevant?

This worksheet organises records; it does not establish admissibility, entitlement or a procedural outcome.

Answer

What is the French users' commission's role?

L1112-3 concerns rights and quality improvement. Its mission does not itself confer a general damages-award power.

Answer

How is a French written grievance prepared?

R1112-91 distinguishes oral concerns and a written complaint to the establishment's legal representative. Keep wording, addressee and receipt.

Answer

Which mediation route is relevant?

France distinguishes medical and non-medical mediators. Geneva's supervisory or mediation framework has its own competence and standing rules.

Comparison

Which documents answer which questions?

Which documents answer which questions?
Record or informationIssue to check
Hospital eventsRecord place, dates, service and observed events. Separate reception, information and care concerns without assuming established fault.
Concern and requested outcomeL1112-3 concerns rights and quality improvement. Its mission does not itself confer a general damages-award power.
Complaint and receiptR1112-91 distinguishes oral concerns and a written complaint to the establishment's legal representative. Keep wording, addressee and receipt.
Mediation and responseFrance distinguishes medical and non-medical mediators. Geneva's supervisory or mediation framework has its own competence and standing rules.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

Answer

Can Geneva's commission cancel a bill or award damages?

The cited Geneva LComPS7 excludes bill cancellation, civil liability and damages from its competence. Do not promise those results from a supervisory complaint.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

Answer

Can any relative complain as the patient's representative?

Not automatically. Geneva LComPS8 distinguishes the patient's or authorised representative's complaint from another person's denunciation.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

The law

Which official provision helps explain this situation?

Tout usager d'un établissement de santé doit être mis à même d'exprimer oralement ses griefs auprès des responsables des services de l'établissement. En cas d'impossibilité ou si les explications reçues ne le satisfont pas, il est informé de la faculté qu'il a soit d'adresser lui-même une plainte ou réclamation écrite au représentant légal de l'établissement, soit de voir sa plainte ou réclamation consignée par écrit, aux mêmes fins. Dans la seconde hypothèse, une copie du document lui est délivrée sans délai.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91In force since 4 March 2005Read on Légifrance

In plain English: The cited Geneva LComPS7 excludes bill cancellation, civil liability and damages from its competence. Do not promise those results from a supervisory complaint.

Answer

What should be retained after a meeting?

Keep invitation, participants, observations and response. Separate agreed facts, disputed matters and proposed improvements.

Answer

What does the complaint outline deliver?

It organises dated events and a clear request. It files nothing and does not establish liability, compensation or a national Swiss CDU system.

Frequent questions

What other questions arise in this file?

What is the French users' commission's role?

L1112-3 concerns rights and quality improvement. Its mission does not itself confer a general damages-award power.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

Which mediation route is relevant?

France distinguishes medical and non-medical mediators. Geneva's supervisory or mediation framework has its own competence and standing rules.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

Can Geneva's commission cancel a bill or award damages?

The cited Geneva LComPS7 excludes bill cancellation, civil liability and damages from its competence. Do not promise those results from a supervisory complaint.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

What should be retained after a meeting?

Keep invitation, participants, observations and response. Separate agreed facts, disputed matters and proposed improvements.

Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesGenève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceService Public : Commission des usagers

Sources

Which official references should you consult?

  1. Code de la santé publique art. L1112-3Légifrance
  2. Code de la santé publique art. R1112-91Légifrance
  3. Code de la santé publique art. R1112-92Légifrance
  4. Genève K3.03 : art.7 CompétencesSource officielle
  5. Genève K3.03 : art.8 Saisine de la commission de surveillanceSource officielle
  6. Service Public : Commission des usagersSource officielle

Texts cited last checked: 1 November 2026

Next steps

Which neighbouring situations should remain separate?