What is autonomy?

• A. Self-rule. Patients have the right to make autonomous decisions and choices, and PAs should respect these decisions and choices
• B. The obligation to avoid all risk
• C. The social duty to provide freebies
• D. The process of informing patients about costs

Answer: (A)

Autonomy means the patient has self-rule over their health care. Patients have the right to make their own decisions about treatment after they’ve received clear, relevant information about options, risks, benefits, and alternatives. The clinician’s job is to support that choice by discussing the plan, assessing decision-making capacity, obtaining informed consent, and avoiding coercion, even when the clinician would choose differently. If the patient lacks capacity, decisions should be guided by a legally authorized surrogate or advance directives. Autonomy focuses on respecting the patient’s values and preferences, not avoiding all risk or handling costs or freebies.