Management of chronic diseases demands informed and active participation of the patient. An intelligent and educated patient with faith in a selected medical specialist is usually better placed for a good therapeutic outcome. Smart patients can easily analyze their symptoms and express them well to doctor. Patients must provide factual and accurate information to their doctor. Anxious, depressed, forgetful, timid, or violent patients with chronic physical disease are usually challenging to treat. Therapy is likely to be unsuccessful in patients who keep on experimenting with dosages of their prescribed drugs. They must follow prescribed treatment religiously and inform new developments correctly. Trust in physician increases the chances of adherence to the treatment plan. A good doctor-patient relationship can only be built upon trust. Patients must also understand and accept the limitations of current therapy in chronically damaged joints and other organs and define expectations accordingly. Finally, adequate resources to fund the cost of treatment are essential.
The Patient Factor
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