Patient Dignity (Formerly:Patient Modesty): Volume 97

" Not OK " and who decides it ' s " OK " or " not OK " in a medical professional-patient relationship? Should the final decision be made by the patient (autonomy) or by the medical professional (paternalism).  My view and practice as a physician is that patient informed but autonomous decisions (or informed decisions made by the patient ' s surrogate, if necessary) should be the determinant state in all patient-medical profession relationships from onset to final actions.  So this view applies to clinical interaction in all stages of medical practice.  In non-clinical relationships (as briefly discussed in Volume 96) the final decisions are more complicated if a clinical relationship had previously been present.From the onset of this thread topic,  the views presented have clearly held, with examples of patient hurtful contrary professional behavior, that it is the patient who should " be in charge " .  What is my opinion is that simply mumbling and grumbling  on this blog thread as to what is " not OK " , I fully agree with the attempts by some of our visitors to " move on " to publicize their view for a need for a changes within the medical system to attend to the needs of patients to maintain their dignity beyond maintaining their health and that there are many examples of professional behaviors which are simply " not OK " with them.  ..Maurice.GRAPHIC: Created by me utilizing the Microsoft Paint Program
Source: Bioethics Discussion Blog - Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: blogs