Patients

Patients are individuals who receive medical care or treatment. The term patient comes from the Latin word patiens, meaning 'one who suffers'. This term is used in various contexts in the field of medicine and healthcare, and can refer to people who are being treated in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and their own homes.

Definition

A patient is defined as any individual who is under the care of a professional in the health sector for the purpose of preventing, diagnosing, or treating an illness, disease, injury, or condition. This can include both inpatients and outpatients. An inpatient is someone who is admitted to a hospital or clinic for treatment that requires at least one overnight stay. An outpatient, on the other hand, is a patient who visits a healthcare facility for diagnosis or treatment without the need for an overnight stay.

Patient Rights

Patient rights are those basic rule of conduct between patients and medical caregivers. They include the right to privacy, the right to informed consent, the right to refuse treatment, and the right to receive information about one's health in a language they can understand.

Patient Advocacy

Patient advocacy is an area of specialization in health care concerned with advocacy for patients, survivors, and caregivers. The patient advocate may be an individual or an organization, often, though not always, concerned with one specific group of disorders.

Patient Education

Patient education is the process by which health professionals and others impart information to patients and their caregivers that will alter their health behaviors or improve their health status.

See Also

• Healthcare provider
• Medical ethics
• Patient safety
• Patient satisfaction