Personal Right in Health Care
I am so pleased you published the article by Doukas and McCullough1 in the November/December issue of the ARCHIVES.
The inclusion of personal requests in health care as one aspect of health maintenance is a sound approach that I first encountered at a seminar conducted by Larry McCullough, PhD, and Tristan Englehardt, MD, PhD, in 1975.
Since then, "rights" have been included as part of the health maintenance review we discuss with the patrons of our practice. The dates of the initial and subsequent reviews are noted on the enclosure. The "Medical Miranda" is prominently posted in our practice offices; it states the following:
Patients have the right:
• To receive all pertinent treatment information and to discuss options.
• To refuse or accept medical care.
• To expect courtesy and respect.
• To confidentiality.
• To continuity of care.
• To have available adequate
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]