The partnership nature of health care requires that patients, or their families/surrogates, take part in their care. The effectiveness of care and patient satisfaction with the treatment depends, in part, on the patient fulfilling certain responsibilities. The following are patient responsibilities:
1. Patients are responsible for providing accurate information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medication, and all other matters related to health status. To participate effectively in decision making, patients are responsible for asking for additional information or explanation about their health status or treatment when they do not fully understand information and instructions.
2. Patients are also responsible for ensuring that the health care institution has a copy of their written advance directive if they have one.
3. Patients are responsible for telling their doctors and other caregivers if they expect problems in following prescribed treatment.
4. Patients should be aware of the office's duty to be reasonably efficient and fair in providing care to other patients and the community. Patients and their families are responsible for making reasonable accommodations to the needs of the office, other patients, medical staff, and employees.
5. Patients are responsible for giving necessary information for insurance claims and for working with the office staff to make payment arrangements, when necessary.
6. A person's health depends on much more than health care service. Patients are responsible for recognizing the impact of their lifestyle on their personal health and are responsible for the consequences of that lifestyle.
