posted
on Thursday, March 24, 2016
I was thinking the other day about all of the forms practices have patients sign. Insurance, Privacy, Consent, Financial Responsibility, Medical History, and the list goes on. And…. if we were being honest, that 30 seconds at the front desk doesn’t really allow us time to READ the forms. We just sign away. I wish I could say, just give me my rubber stamp please.
So I began to think about another form – one I haven’t actually ever been given, but one that might be valuable when we talk about health and wellness and accountability. It’s called a ‘Patient Contract’. This is not a new concept for some practices. It’s a contract between a doctor and patient that outlines what the patient will do in the coming year to achieve and maintain health. It can be customized to fit the needs of the patient and provider. The contract could include anything from treatments, instructions, wellness tips, medications, future visits – the ideas are endless. Having a section that holds the provider accountable as well would be good.
This could be a powerful form and one that patients would read and remember all year long.