Treatment is usually placed at the doctor's door, but there is a manual of dos and don'ts for patients. Working on this code will improve your well-being, finds Sunday MiD DAY

Last week, services for patients at Mumbai's largest public hospital, the KEM Hospital in Parel, were affected after doctors went on strike following an assault on their colleagues by a deceased patient's relatives. This 1,800-bed hospital treats 5,000 out-patients/day and 250 in-patients/day and provides both basic care and advanced treatment facilities in all fields of medicine and surgery, either free or at nominal cost, mostly to the underprivileged sections of society.u00a0

The efficient and smooth functioning of such a complex organisation requires that the three main players, namely, the hospital, the doctors and the patients, work together with each playing their role and fulfilling their responsibility.

The perceptions and expectations of patients need to be aligned with what the doctors, medical staff and hospital can realistically offer. It is important that these services, facilities, treatment, and applicable rules and regulations are explicitly stated rather than assumed to be understood by those who come to the hospital for treatment. Once these are stated, it also becomes easier for the hospital to receive constructive feedback and suggestions on the same.

A] Patient's Code of Conduct
Patients are responsible for their own personal and environmental well-being. The following code of conduct emphasises the responsibilities of a patient while seeking medical care.