A health ombudsman and a surgeon general would be appointed by a Fine Gael government, the party said yesterday.
It would also replace the present Patients' Charter with a Covenant of Rights and Responsibilities guaranteeing rights such as individual outpatient appointments.
The covenant would have statutory backing and would be enforced by the health ombudsman.
The party's health spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell TD, argued that the new offices were needed to safeguard the interests of the public.
Unprecedented amounts of money had been entrusted to the vested interests in the health service, he said.
"The reality is that if the Dail doubled spending to £10 billion in the morning for the health services the money would be consumed, divided up and the hospital waiting lists would continue."
The "governance" of the health services must also be thoroughly reformed, he said.
The surgeon general would "ensure that the health services are not the preserve of vested interests, either political, bureaucratic or medical".
The office holder would have the same standing in regard to health as the Comptroller and Auditor General in regard to finance. He or she would report directly to the Oireachtas and would work with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children.
The health ombudsman would investigate complaints including complaints that the Covenant of Rights and Responsibilities had been breached.
This would reduce or eliminate the need for inquiries and tribunals, Mr Mitchell argued.
It would also reduce the number of litigation cases "which in turn make practitioners overcautious in responsibility-taking and decision-making".
The covenant includes rights such as in-patient treatment based on medical need within a reasonable time-frame, respect for personal dignity and referral to a consultant acceptable to the patient.
It also includes responsibilities which patients are expected to accept. These include avoiding inappropriate use of hospital emergency departments, attending appointments on time and taking care of their general health.
Where possible, the covenant would be signed by the patient and a representative of the hospital either before or on admission.
The Fine Gael proposals would also benefit the mental health services, the party's deputy health spokesman, Mr Dan Neville TD, told yesterday's press conference.
Mental health services had been neglected for decades, he said, and it was vital to ensure that they were at least on a par with other health services.
The Irish Patients' Association last night welcomed the proposal for a covenant with statutory backing. It has been pressing for a Bill of Rights for patients.