Patient competence and medical persuasion

Patients are autonomous beings and may make choices that, to their doctor, are completely bewildering. While a doctor has both a legal and moral duty of care for his/her patients, a patient may refuse any treatment for any reason. The law manifests its respect for the principle of autonomy through the concept of consent. However, for patients to exercise their right to consent they must first be deemed to be competent. Incompetent patients can be treated in their best interests, as determined by their doctor. Competent patients may determine what their best interests are and what treatment they will allow. A doctor may try and persuade a competent patient to change his/her mind but may not coerce that patient. A doctor is less likely to infringe a patient's autonomy if they know that patient well and understand the critical elements of that patient's life plan.