Proceedings Before Regional Commission for Evaluation of Medical Events (RCME) in Poland as an extrajudicial method of resolving civil disputes involving patients

The legal act of fundamental importance from the perspective of protecting patients’ rights in Poland is the Act on patient rights and the Commissioner for Patients’ Rights. The amendment of 2011 of this Act added a chapter devoted to the alternative method of resolving disputes with the participation of patients, i.e. proceedings before the regional commission for evaluation of medical events. In Poland, these commissions operate in 16 voivodeship. Their functioning is an alternative to traditional court proceedings. The purpose of this study is to present the institution of proceedings before commissions in Poland. The Author will present the purpose and course of the proceedings, and draw attention to the advantages and disadvantages of this solution. The conclusions presented in this study are based on the functioning of one of these commissions, whose Author is the vice-chairperson.