240.992 Patient Responsibilities:
MSSNY has adopted the following principles of patient responsibility:
(1) Good communication is essential to a successful physician-patient relationship. To the extent possible, patients have a responsibility to express their concerns clearly to their physicians and be honest.
(2) Patients have a responsibility to provide a complete medical history, to the extent possible, including information about past illnesses, medications, hospitalizations, family history of illness and other matters relating to present health.
(3) In addition to explaining known medical background to their physician, patients have a responsibility to request information or clarification about their health status or treatment when they do not fully understand what has been described.
(4) Once patients and physicians agree upon the goals of therapy, patients have a responsibility to cooperate with the treatment plan. Compliance with physician instructions is often essential to public and individual safety. Patients also have a responsibility to disclose whether previously agreed upon treatments are being followed and to indicate when they would like to reconsider the treatment plan.
(5) Patients generally have a responsibility to meet their financial obligations with regard to medical care or to discuss financial hardships with their physicians. Patients should be cognizant of the costs associated with using a limited resource like health care and should try to use medical resources judiciously.
(6) Patients should discuss end of life decisions with their physicians and make their wishes known. Such a discussion might also include writing an advance directive.
(7) Patients should be committed to health maintenance through health-enhancing behavior. Illness can often be prevented by a healthy lifestyle, and patients must take personal responsibility when they are able to avert the development of disease.
(8) Patients should also have an active interest in the effects of their conduct on others and refrain from behavior that unreasonably places the health of others at risk. Patients should inquire as to the means and likelihood of infectious disease transmission and act upon that information which can best prevent further transmission.
(9) Patients should discuss organ donation with their physicians and make applicable provisions. Patients who are part of an organ allocation system and await needed treatment or transplant should not try to go outside or manipulate the system. A fair system of allocation should be answered with public trust and an awareness of limited resources. (10) Patients should not initiate or participate in fraudulent health care, and should report illegal or unethical behavior to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, licensing boards, or medical societies. (AMA Policy H-140.953 CEJA Rep. A, A-93; MSSNYCouncil 11/2/00; Reaffirmed HOD 2014; Reaffirmed HOD 2024)
