title: Tools for "decloaking" the elephant in the room: conflict of interest, shared decision-making, and patient-centered care.
abstract: Recently, apparent failures in ethical conduct appear to have impacted the public trust of health care professionals. In particular, conflict of interest, whether actual or perceived, is hindering effective relationships between patients, clinicians, and society. Clinicians are poised to experience further damage to the goodwill and reputation of their professions if direct actions and changes to practice philosophy are not taken. Over the past 20 years, two substantial tools related to patient engagement have matured. These are shared decision-making (SDM), and patient-centered care (PCC). These are more than tools; they are logical frameworks for organizing the patient-clinician relationship. It is important for all clinicians to increase their understanding of these tools and incorporate in all facets of their professional practice.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ruble
mesh_terms: D016265:Conflict of Interest; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics
keywords: conflict of interest; patient-centered care; patient-clinician relationship; shared decision-making