Physicians should also elicit a patient's reasoning for preferences and attempt to understand their perspectives and opinions. A physician should also disclose to the patient that his/her decision may conflict with what is in their best interest, in terms of their overall health or survival. Information should include the risks, benefits, and alternatives to the proposed intervention. A physician's duty in such circumstances should be to ensure that the patient is fully informed in order for them to be truly autonomous. This is often a challenging issue for phycians to deal with as patient autonomy may at times conflict with the physician's desire to prioritize beneficence. In addition, patients have the right to make decisions that may conflict with the recommendations of family members and health care providers. It implies that a patient best knows his/her own goals and values relating to medical interventions. Patient autonomy is a respect for an individual's right of self-rule. In recent decades the medical environment has shifted from a paternalistic role of the physician towards the promotion of respect for patient autonomy. Patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and stewardship of resources comprise the foundation of ethical guidelines for physicians.
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