patient autonomy

patient autonomy

Medical ethics The right of a Pt to have his/her carefully considered choices for health care carried out in a fashion that is consonant with his or her personal philosophy; PA also assumes that, in absence of explicit instructions to the contrary, the most aggressive efforts should be made to resuscitate a Pt in extremis. See Code. Cf Medical paternalism, Slow code.

patient autonomy

The right of an informed patient to choose to accept or refuse therapy. See: advance directive; informed consent; living will; quality of life