What Is Patient Autonomy? Here’s Why It’s So Important.

My role as a provider is to support you, not to control your care.

Imagine every time you went to a health care appointment, your medical provider decided your entire treatment plan without any input from you. The provider doesn’t share information about the risks or other treatment options, makes decisions on your behalf, and sends you on your way. 

For a long time, this wasn’t hard to imagine because it was the standard in Western medicine. Providers made health care decisions for (not with) their patients, much like a parent would a child. In fact, the code of ethics from the American Medical Association said this in the mid-1800s: 

“The obedience of a patient to the prescriptions of his physician should be prompt and implicit. He should never permit his own crude opinions as to their fitness, to influence his attention to them.”

Pretty jaw-dropping, right? Only in the last 75 years or so have we started to move away from this paternalistic (and deeply problematic) model of care and toward one that emphasizes patient autonomy. 

What Is Patient Autonomy, Exactly? 

Autonomy, at its most basic, means “self-governing.” In the context of medical ethics, it means that patients have a fundamental right to make their own informed health care decisions. It’s a central tenet to person-centered care. 

Not only is a respect for patient autonomy the right ethical practice, it also means better health outcomes. When we feel empowered and trusted as patients, we’re more likely to advocate for ourselves and share relevant information, commit to treatment plans, and trust our medical providers. All of these factors can mean living a healthier life than we might have otherwise. 

Unfortunately, many of us have still experienced a paternalistic model of care at one time or another – leaving us feeling unseen, unheard, and dismissed. 

But patient autonomy assumes that you know your body, your values, and your life better than anyone else. As a provider, your autonomy is central to my practice because my role is to support you, not to control your care. Every decision we make is one we make together.

At Whole Person Well Care, you won’t be dismissed or talked over. You won’t get a cookiecutter treatment plan that ignores who you are and what you believe. This practice is built on trust, autonomy, and healing. 

You deserve care that feels safe, thoughtful, and truly centered on you. If that is what you’re looking for and you haven’t found it yet, schedule an appointment today. And if you’re not quite ready to schedule an appointment, join my email list and get weekly health information straight to your inbox.