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

Leaving hospital against advice: document the choice

Leaving hospital against medical advice concerns information, the patient's situation and continuity documents in a voluntary stay. France and Switzerland require their own legal context, and compulsory admission is a different case. Keep the explanations, discharge papers and proposed follow-up together. This document tool does not recommend ending treatment or replace a clinician's discussion of the risks.

Text in force27 May 2003Sources checked1 November 2026

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 risks were explained by the clinician?

Julie Illustration

France's R1112-62 addresses risk information and an attestation within its scope. This legal worksheet does not recommend leaving care.

Read the references

Your question concerns “Leaving hospital against advice: document the choice”. 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

Is the admission voluntary?

Confirm the legal status first. Compulsory placement has a separate review route which a discharge signature does not remove.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

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/echeancierNothing 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: Follow-up contacts. Record service and contacts without publishing health information. An urgent care need belongs with appropriate medical services.

Admission status
Record available
Risk information
Record available
Discharge records
Record available
Follow-up contacts
Needs checking
Records indicated
3 / 4
  1. Which follow-up contacts were supplied?

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

Answer

What risks were explained by the clinician?

France's R1112-62 addresses risk information and an attestation within its scope. This legal worksheet does not recommend leaving care.

Answer

Which discharge documents were provided?

Inventory available records and unresolved clinical questions. A legal tool cannot assess whether departure is medically safe.

Answer

Which follow-up contacts were supplied?

Record service and contacts without publishing health information. An urgent care need belongs with appropriate medical services.

Comparison

Which documents answer which questions?

Which documents answer which questions?
Record or informationIssue to check
Admission statusConfirm the legal status first. Compulsory placement has a separate review route which a discharge signature does not remove.
Risk informationFrance's R1112-62 addresses risk information and an attestation within its scope. This legal worksheet does not recommend leaving care.
Discharge recordsInventory available records and unresolved clinical questions. A legal tool cannot assess whether departure is medically safe.
Follow-up contactsRecord service and contacts without publishing health information. An urgent care need belongs with appropriate medical services.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

Answer

Does refusing a French attestation end all rights?

No. R1112-62 provides for recording refusal within its scope. A discharge form is not a universal waiver.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

Answer

What does the Swiss example actually cover?

Geneva LS36 concerns departure after risk information; LS46 concerns capable-patient consent and withdrawal. These details are Geneva-specific, not a national discharge form.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

The law

Which official provision helps explain this situation?

Sous réserve des dispositions de l'article L. 1111-5, à l'exception des mineurs et des personnes hospitalisées d'office, les malades peuvent, sur leur demande, quitter à tout moment l'établissement.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62In force since 27 May 2003Read on Légifrance

In plain English: No. R1112-62 provides for recording refusal within its scope. A discharge form is not a universal waiver.

Answer

Are minor or compulsory admissions the same?

No. Capacity, representation and lawful restrictions need separate analysis. Do not apply the ordinary voluntary-departure sequence automatically.

Answer

What does the discharge chronology organise?

It separates status, information, records and follow-up. It authorises no clinical departure and does not replace the treating team's assessment.

Frequent questions

What other questions arise in this file?

What risks were explained by the clinician?

France's R1112-62 addresses risk information and an attestation within its scope. This legal worksheet does not recommend leaving care.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

Which follow-up contacts were supplied?

Record service and contacts without publishing health information. An urgent care need belongs with appropriate medical services.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

Does refusing a French attestation end all rights?

No. R1112-62 provides for recording refusal within its scope. A discharge form is not a universal waiver.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

Are minor or compulsory admissions the same?

No. Capacity, representation and lawful restrictions need separate analysis. Do not apply the ordinary voluntary-departure sequence automatically.

Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4210 : Art. 19 c210 : Art. 28Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéGenève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementService Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséService Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriques

Sources

Which official references should you consult?

  1. Code de la santé publique art. R1112-62Légifrance
  2. Code de la santé publique art. L1111-4Légifrance
  3. 210 : Art. 19 cFedlex
  4. 210 : Art. 28Fedlex
  5. Genève K1.03 : art.36 Sortie d'une institution de santéSource officielle
  6. Genève K1.03 : art.46 Choix libre et éclairé : Personne capable de discernementSource officielle
  7. Service Public : Droits du patient hospitaliséSource officielle
  8. Service Public : Soins pour troubles psychiatriquesSource officielle

Texts cited last checked: 1 November 2026

Next steps

Which neighbouring situations should remain separate?