A patient is the name given to any person who is ill or injured and is being treated by, or in need of treatment by, a physician or other medical professional.

Health consumer or health care consumer is another name for patient, usually used by some governmental agencies, insurance companies, and/or patient groups.

In the case of a terminal patient, death is approaching, and no treatment aimed at curing is available, just palliative care.

The word patient is derived from the Latin pati meaning "to suffer".

See also

• Medicine
• Patient empowerment
• Patients' Bill of Rights (US)