| Patient autonomy, assessment of competence and surrogate decision-making: a call for reasonableness in deciding for others. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 18644014 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
In this paper, I address some of the shortcomings of established clinical ethics centring on personal autonomy and consent and what I label the Doctrine of Respecting Personal Autonomy in Healthcare. I discuss two implications of this doctrine: 1) the practice for treating patients who are considered to have borderline decision-making competence and 2) the practice of surrogate decision-making in general. I argue that none of these practices are currently aligned with respectful treatment of vulnerable individuals. Because of 'structural arbitrariness' in the whole process of how we assess decision-making competence, this area is open to disrespectful treatment of people. The practice of surrogate decision- making on the basis of a single person's judgment is arguably not consistent with ethical and political requirements derived from the doctrine itself. In response to the inadequacies of the doctrine, I suggest a framework for reasonableness in surrogate decision-making which might allow practice to avoid the problems above. I conclude by suggesting an extended concept of Patient Autonomy which integrates both personal autonomy and the regulative idea of morality that is required by reasonableness in deciding for non-competent others. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Kristine Baer?e |
Related Documents
:
|
15183904 - Management of jehovah's witness patients with haematological problems. 8260724 - Ethics and fetal medicine. 3331304 - Ethical principles in critical care medicine. 20505394 - Academic retainer medicine: an innovative business model for cross-subsidizing primary ... 861884 - Patterns of practice in internal medicine in ontario. 925644 - Family medicine: behavioral science contributions. |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Date: 2008-07-17 |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Bioethics Volume: 24 ISSN: 1467-8519 ISO Abbreviation: Bioethics Publication Date: 2010 Feb |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2010-01-06 Completed Date: 2010-04-20 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 8704792 Medline TA: Bioethics Country: England |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 87-95 Citation Subset: E; IM |
Affiliation:
|
Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Norway. kristine.baroe@isf.uib.no |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Decision Making
/
ethics* Humans Mental Competency* Personal Autonomy* Third-Party Consent / ethics* |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Alternative consent models for biobanks: the new Spanish law on biomedical research.
Next Document: Health disparities and autonomy.