Professional Physician Characteristics and Authority in Patient Advocacy

1. PROFESSIONALSPHYSICIANS CHARACTERISTICS AUTHORITY

2. TO BE A PROFESSIONAL • A PROFESSIONAL IS ONE WHO • WHILE ADHERING TO A COLLECTIVE STANDARD OF CONDUCT • TO WHICH HE/SHE IS BOUND BY THE COMMUNITY • ORDINARILY SETS ASIDE HIS/HER PERSONAL PREFERENCES • THEREBY EXERCISING SELF-RESTRAINT • TO MEET THE INTERESTS/NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL SERVED • GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLE OF BENEFICENCE • AS CHOSEN BY THAT INDIVIDUAL • GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLE OF AUTONOMY

3. THE PROFESSIONAL IN MEDICAL PRACTICE

4. PROFESSIONAL AS PATIENT ADVOCATE“SPEAKS TO”---“SPEAKS FOR”---”DEFENDS” • STANDS BY THE PATIENT IN FACE OF DISEASE • ADDRESSES VULNERABILITY FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF EXPERT KNOWLEDGE • PROTECTS VALUE LIFE OF PATIENT • PROMOTES PATIENT AUTONOMY • COMPENSTATES FOR FACTORS DIMINISHING AUTONOMY • IGNORANCE • CONFUSION • PAIN • FEAR • AGE • COMPROMISED MENTATION • ISOLATION

5. THE AUTHORITY OF THE PHYSICIAN • PATIENT’S TRUST IN THE PHYSICIAN • PLEDGE TO THE HEALING PROFESSION • CARING AND CURING • EXPERT KNOWLEDGE • EXPERIENCE WITH MALADIES • CLINICAL JUDGMENT • PROFESSIONAL VIRTUES • DIRECT CONTACT WITH PATIENT • PRESENCE TO PATIENT • FOCUSED ATTENTION • COMPANIONSHIP ON DIFFICULT JOURNEYS