Aligning ethics with medical decision-making: the quest for informed patient choice

J Law Med Ethics. 2010 Spring;38(1):85-97. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-720X.2010.00469.x.

Abstract

Clinical evidence suggests that many patients undergo surgery that they would decline if fully informed. Failure to communicate the relevant risks, benefits, and alternatives of a procedure violates medical ethics and wastes medical resources. Integrating shared decision-making, a method of communication between provider and patient, into medical decisions can satisfy physicians' ethical obligations and reduce unwanted procedures. This article proposes a three-step process for implementing a nationwide practice of shared decision-making: (1) create model integration programs; (2) provide legal incentives to ease the transition; and (3) incorporate shared decision-making into medical necessity determinations.

MeSH terms

  • Beneficence*
  • Decision Making / ethics*
  • Disclosure / ethics
  • Disclosure / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Health Policy / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Humans
  • Informed Consent / ethics*
  • Informed Consent / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Patient Participation*
  • Patient Preference
  • Personal Autonomy*
  • Physician-Patient Relations / ethics*
  • United States