Cancellation conditions

If a patient is unable or unwilling to attend an appointment at the hospital, medical centre or outpatient clinic, the patient or his legal representative can always waive his appointment based on Article 8, §4 of the Patients' Rights Act (Wet Patiëntenrechten). However, this should be done in a timely manner. The patient will need to notify the secretariat of the care provider concerned at least 24 hours in advance if he or she will not show at the agreed time* or will be unable to attend. This can be done via e-mail or phone.

If the patient fails to provide advance notification (on time), a flat-rate compensation fee of €25.00 will be charged. Any exceptions to this rule are listed on the department's appointment page(www.mariamiddelares.be/en/appointments).

This compensation is due without prior notice to the patient and is enforceable by operation of law. In addition, higher damages may be claimed if the actual damage suffered due to the patient's late notice of absence can be proved. This is the case, for example, when special costs have to be incurred for the scheduled appointment.

In case of repeated non-attendance, the treatment agreement with the patient may be terminated by the hospital or the care provider concerned.

This information is disclosed to the patient through various channels and is deemed accepted by the patient.

(*) In practice, failure to attend appointments on time will almost always mean that they cannot go ahead, as the schedules of care providers in the hospital are always full. We make every effort to reschedule your appointment with a relatively short time.

If the care provider cannot attend an appointment scheduled for the patient, (the secretariat of) the care provider should notify the patient at least twelves hours in advance.

If the care provider did not notify (in a timely manner) the patient of his or her absence, the patient may claim a flat-rate compensation fee of €15.00, barring force majeure on the part of the care provider.

Force majeure on the part of the care provider includes, without being exhaustive, an urgent intervention, an emergency, and suchlike.

Late attendance at an appointment by the care provider is not considered a failure to keep an appointment, as this is unavoidable in practice due to, among other things, permanency obligations, complications with interventions, running out of prior to appointments, etcetera.