title: An ethical model for improving the patient-physician relationship.
abstract: Working with the ethical principles of beneficence and autonomy, I address three questions: How can communication between physicians and their patients be improved? How does the public availability of practice guidelines and other alternative sources of health information influence the interactions between physicians and patients? How can a partnership in health care in which the patient and the physician share responsibility be achieved? Educating patients for a partnership in health care will offer a further incentive for physicians to enter and sustain such a partnership.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: McCullough
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D003142:Communication; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003657:Decision Making; D030881:Disclosure; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D028681:Moral Obligations; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D028701:Patient Rights; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012945:Social Values; D035501:Uncertainty