Fundamental features of Medical Malpractice in Croatian Criminal Law

Ustav Republike Hrvatske jamči pravo na zdravstvenu zaštitu kojoj je primarni cilj unaprjeđenje i očuvanje zdravlja. Zdravstveni radnici u obavljanju zdravstvene djelatnosti dužni su postupati s osobitom pažnjom kako bi pozitivno utjecali na zdravlje ljudi. No, nerijetki su slučajevi da posljedice štetne po život i zdravlje ljudi ipak nastanu. Sama činjenica nastanka štetne posljedice ne znači a priori i kaznenopravnu odgovornost. Za postojanje kaznenopravne odgovornosti potrebno je dokazati kumulativno postojanje elemenata kaznenog djela. Nesavjesno liječenje u hrvatskom pravnom poretku regulirano je Kaznenim zakonom kao najčešće kazneno djelo protiv zdravlja ljudi. Ovo kazneno djelo može počiniti samo zakonom određena osoba – zdravstveni radnik u obavljanju zdravstvene djelatnosti. Zakonodavac je regulirao četiri modaliteta počinjenja koji mogu rezultirati pogoršanjem bolesti ili narušenjem zdravlja druge osbe. Kvalificiranim oblikom počinjenja uzrokuje se teža posljedica – teška tjelesna ozljeda ili znatno pogoršanje postojeće bolesti, osobito teška tjelesna ozljeda ili prekid trudnoće te smrt. Zakonodavac je predvidio kaznu zatvora čija visina ovisi o nastaloj posljedici te olakotnim i otegotnim okolnostima počinjenja. Nesavjesno liječenje regulirano je kao posebno kazneno djelo čime se štite prava pacijenata, ističe se potreba poštivanja pravila zdravstvene struke te se pravno sankcionira nesavjesno postupanje zdravstvenih radnika i prevenira buduće slično postupanje.The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia guarantees the right to health care, the primary objective of which is the promotion and preservation of health. Health care professionals are obliged to exercise special care in order to have a positive impact on human health. However, it is not uncommon for the consequences to be harmful to human life and health. The mere fact of the occurrence of a detrimental consequence does not, a priori, imply criminal liability. For the existence of criminal liability it is necessary to prove the cumulative existence of the elements of the criminal offence. Malpractice treatment in the Croatian legal order is regulated by the Criminal Code as the most common criminal offense against human health. This criminal offense can only be committed by a statutory person - a health care professional in the exercise of a health care activity. The lawmaker has regulated four modalities of perpetration that can result in an exacerbation of the disease or impair the health of another person. A qualified form of perpetration causes a more serious consequence - serious bodily injury or a significant exacerbation of an existing disease, especially serious bodily injury or termination of pregnancy and death. The legislator has provided for a sentence of imprisonment, the amount of which depends on what has happened and the mitigating and aggravating circumstances of the commission. Malpractice treatment is regulated as a separate criminal offense protecting the rights of patients, emphasizing the need to respect the rules of the health profession, and legally sanctioning the malpractice of healthcare professionals and preventing future similar treatment