title: Partnerships in patient care: a contractual approach.
abstract: A contractual approach to forming a partnership between doctor and patient is presented in both theoretical and practical terms. Four basic contractual assumptions underly the doctor-patient relationship: both the doctor and the patient have unique responsibilities; the relationship is consensual, not obligatory; both doctor and patient must be willing to negotiate; and each must gain something in the encounters. Clinical examples are used to show practical implications of this model. Although explicit contracts are not needed for all patients, a contractual analysis of doctor-patient interactions helps both participants share the responsibility for patient care.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations