In Ayurvedic texts, there are various scriptures specifically about how a patient and a doctor should come prepared for treatment. Note the wording is translated from ancient texts written 5,000 + years ago.
People who want to be a patient of Ayurveda should have certain qualities, described in Astanga Hrdyam (1.29), “The patient should be affording, obedient, communicative as well as mentally pure and strong.” Commentary: Ideally a patient should be sattvic in thoughts and actions. They should be able to afford the treatment. This should be clarified before starting the treatment to avoid misunderstanding and frustration midway. It’s important that the patient is compliant with the instructions of the physician without which no treatment will be effective. Treatment is a team work. The communication should be open and frank. One should not hide any information from the physician. Regular updates are important. Poor is a feeling of not having enough and desires more. Wealthy means a person who is satisfied with what they have and is peaceful. (Poverty is of the mind and attachment to objects and senses).
“The body of the person should have the ability to tolerate the potency of the medicine and treatments. The person should be self-controlled; the vital body parts, uninjured; have very few causative factors; and, though having prodromal and visible signs of disease, not having any complications.” (AH 1.30). Commentary: A person receiving Ayurvedic treatment should be self-controlled. One should be realistic and have faith in the physician and treatment. Self-control implies the willingness to accept the difficulties involved in carrying out the treatment. One must be willing to undergo discipline and do whatever is required in order to get cured from the illness.
When a physician may decide to reject a patient: (1) one who is hated by physician and king/state (public enemy, criminal); (2) patient who has feelings of animosity toward the physician or has some other hidden agenda apart from healing; (3) if the physician/Vaidya is deprived of equipment, prerequisites, and facilities for treatment; (4) restless, busy with other activities (not having time for treatment), distracted, unwilling to make treatment a priority, not sticking to the instructions; (5) unregulated patient due to lack of faith or other reasons; (6) life-span has run out; (7) angry, wrathful, impetuous, evil minded, violent, destructive and cruel; (8) afflicted with grief, always negatively thinking, pessimistic and complaining; (9) fearful, lacking sattva; (10) ungrateful for the hard work of the physician and assistants; (11) thinks himself to be a physician or does not respect the physician. (AH 1.34). It is also said that one should never reject a patient (AH 2.24), and the patient should be treated as your own child.
The physicians who practice Ayurveda should have certain qualities, described in Astanga Hrdyam (1.28), “The physician should be an expert who has learned from masters, who knows all the meanings and interpretations of the Ayurvedic texts, has observed and practically performed the treatments oneself and pure (in mind and body). The medicinal substance should have the capability to be used in different types of formulations, possess many healing qualities, be easily obtainable and appropriate for use in the particular given situation.” Commentary on the second quality: they understand the deeper meanings of the science from the guru. A guru is one who teaches us how to see the principle behind what is given in the books. A guru gives that vision or ability to see beyond what is written in the books – “reading between the lines.