Ethics, rights and obligatiaons of patients

Code of conduct
The conduct of every member of the Swiss Association for Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery (SWISS PLASTIC SURGERY) must be in keeping with the dignity of the medical profession. This is based on the  SMA Code of Conduct, which governs the conduct of physicians towards patients, colleagues and other partners in the healthcare sector. This code of conduct also contains rules governing the conduct of its members in the public sphere. SWISS PLASTIC SURGERY has also published internal guidelines for its members (Codex).

Duty to inform
The specialist is obliged to inform patients about the preparations, the actual procedure, the technology and possible alternative methods of treatment, the post-operative process, and the most common complications. However, it is not possible to plan and explain the procedure down to the last detail. The patient must be aware that every medical procedure entails a degree of risk and that, under certain circumstances, the physician must take steps which have not previously been discussed, in the interests of the patient's welfare and safety. Before the surgery the patient must have obtained from the surgeon comprehensive information and explanations on all his/her questions or doubts. In recent years, enormous progress has been made in the field of surgery. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that Nature sets clear boundaries despite all the progress that has been made. Moreover, when it comes to cosmetic surgery, the role played by the patient's own perception and his/her often major expectations is not to be underestimated.

Before any procedure, the patient must sign a declaration of consent to confirm that the planned procedure has been thoroughly and expertly explained and discussed, and that all his/her questions and doubts have been cleared  up. The declaration of consent also confirms that the patient agrees to undergo the procedure in question.