The patient’s role in health care gains more respect in the medical professions with each passing year. It’s time for patients themselves to take their responsibilities more seriously.

The doctors at Heartland Regional Medical Center and elsewhere in the city and region are eager to speak of advances in care, to explain the latest technologies and to offer hope for research breakthroughs. When appropriate, they will recommend therapies, prescribe medicines and order surgeries.

But quality depends on more than just science and good bedside manner, and the doctors know that.

“The missing component is the patient. He or she can do a lot to improve their quality of care,” says Allan Lazar with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

This is not a new thought for the physicians, but it’s gaining traction with the public with the help of a massive federal push to increase patient safety and improve patient outcomes. A video, “Communicating With Your Doctor,” is available on more than 4,500 Web sites and offers advice for making your next doctor’s visit more valuable.

In the video, Wichita’s Dr. Rick Kellerman, chairman of the American Academy of Family Physicians, offers these ideas:

n Write down questions before the appointment.

n Bring someone with you to help listen and interpret what the doctor says.

n Take notes on what is discussed.

The video offers additional tips on overcoming barriers to good communication, such as feeling rushed, afraid or embarrassed. It also counsels patients on important questions to ask about medical tests, diagnoses and medications.

Dr. Kellerman adds that the physicians have a responsibility to actively listen and to initiate conversations on difficult topics, such as emotional aches and pains.

“We need to try to make sure patients are educated and understand the disease process because, let’s face it — it’s their bodies,” he said.

That’s a thought worth remembering, whether you are making a lifestyle choice or visiting the doctor.