Best Physician-Patient Deliberative Model

When contemplating the difficult relationship between physicians and their patients, Emanuel introduces four different models. These four different models consist of different understandings of the goals of the physician-patient interactions, a physician’s obligation, the role of the patient’s values, along with patient’s autonomy. The paternalistic model is understood to be that the physician can decide what is in the patient’s best interest, thus not including the patient in an extensive rapport. The informative model can also be known as the scientific or consumer model. This model focuses on the physician providing their patient with all the relevant information necessary in order for the patient to make an informed decision based on their values. In the third model, the interpretive model, the physician provides the patient with all the necessary information and then discusses and makes clear the patient’s values.From the values discussed, the patient will then choose treatment based on the discussed values. The deliberative model, the fourth model, has the

Therefore, there is no single model that is the clear choice when choosing the best physician-patient relationship. However, while each model might be an appropriate choice under certain circumstances, they all have their own downfalls. After reviewing all the models and discussing their strengths and weaknesses, Emanuel concludes that the best physician-patient model is the deliberative model. This model embodies what the ideal of autonomy is, where a patient “assesses their own values and preferences; determining whether they are desireable” (41). Overall, physicians need to possess knowledge, be able to communicate, and teach when interacting with their patients. This then leads to the purpose and function of physicians; being able to help a patient in