Take control of your health care (exert your patient autonomy)

Autonomy means being in control of your own decisions without outside influence — in other words, that you are in charge of yourself. It is considered an essential development step toward maturity. We all make decisions about how to live our lives, although sometimes we have less choice than we might like.
When it comes to your health care, how much autonomy is the right amount?
There’s lots of interest in what the term means. Here’s a definition from MedicineNet:
Patient autonomy: The right of patients to make decisions about their medical care without their health care provider trying to influence the decision. Patient autonomy does allow for health care providers to educate the patient but does not allow the health care provider to make the decision for the patient.
This can be a hard line to navigate. In the past, physicians made all the decisions for their patients. They would plan the care, prescribe the treatment, and the patient would either comply or not. The word “comply” is itself pejorative. We have moved into a much more enlightened era of care, and many physicians seek to involve patients, to help them understand treatment options, and to work collaboratively to achieve goals of wellness.
When you and your doctor don’t see eye to eye on the best health care for you
But what if you and your physician don’t agree on the best course of care for you? What if your doctor insists that she knows best, and that your health will be at risk if you don’t fo...

Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 7, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Carolyn A. Bernstein, MD, FAHS Tags: Health Health care Source Type: blogs