The Physician/Patient Statement

As your physician, I will make every effort to:

1. Provide you with the best medical care that is most likely to be beneficial to you.
2. Inform and educate you about your situation, and the various treatment options available to you. I will provide a detailed explanation for any question you may have but you need to let me know about how much or how little you wish to know.
3. Encourage you to ask questions about your illness and its treatment and answer your questions as clearly as possible. I will also attempt to answer questions asked by your family. However, my primary responsibility is to you, and I will discuss your medical situation only with those people authorized by you.
4. Help you remain aware that you will make all major decisions about the course of your care. However, I will accept the responsibility for making certain decisions if you want me to.
5. Assist you in obtaining other professional medical opinions if you desire, or if I believe it to be in your best interest.
6. Relate to you as one competent adult to another, always attempting to consider your emotional, social and psychological concerns as well as your physical needs.
7. Spend a reasonable amount of time with you on each visit unless required by something urgent to do otherwise. I will give you my undivided attention during your visit.
8. Honor all appointment times unless required by something urgent to do otherwise.
9. Return phone calls as promptly as possible, especially those you indicate are urgent.
10. Make test results promptly available and indicate, at the time the test is given, when you can expect the results and who you should call to get them.
11. Provide you with any information you request concerning my professional training, experience, philosophy of care and fees.
12. Respect your desire to try treatment that might not be conventionally accepted. However, I will give you my honest opinion about such unconventional treatments.
13. Provide active support and focused medical attention throughout the course of the illness.
14. Maintain accurate records of your medical information and provide proper billing information to your insurer.

As your physician, I hope that you the patient will make every effort to:

1. Adhere to our agreed-upon treatment plan.
2. Be as candid as possible about what you need and expect from me.
3. Let me know if you desire another professional opinion.
4. Inform me of all forms of therapy you are involved with even those that are complementary, alternative or unconventional.
5. Honor all appointment times unless required by something urgent to do otherwise.
6. Be as considerate as possible of my need to follow a schedule to see other patients.
7. Attempt to make all phone calls to me during working hours. Call on nights and weekends only when absolutely necessary.
8. Attempt to coordinate the requests of your family and confidantes, so that I do not have to answer the same questions about you to several different persons.
9. Provide my office with accurate information about your insurance and other pertinent information.