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Evolution of Doctor-Patient Relationship from Paternalistic to Partnership model, Advances to Patient Empowerment

Vivekanshu Verma

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Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

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Indian Journal of Legal Medicine 4(1):p 63-73, Jan-June 2025. | DOI: N.A

How Cite This Article:

Verma V. Evolution of Doctor-Patient Relationship from Paternalistic to Partnership model, advances to Patient Empowerment. Indian Journal of Legal Medicine. 2025;4(1):63-73.

Timeline

Received : December 12, 2024         Accepted : February 13, 2025          Published : June 20, 2025

Abstract

The doctor-patient relationship has evolved significantly, transitioning from a paternalistic model where physicians made unilateral decisions to a partnership model emphasizing shared decision-making and mutual respect. In recent years, the patient-centric paradigm has emerged, prioritizing patient autonomy and treating individuals as informed consumers. While these changes enhance patient empowerment, they introduce legal and ethical challenges for healthcare providers. Issues such as informed consent, liability under consumer protection laws, and navigating the complexities of consumer-driven healthcare systems have become more prominent. This paper explores these transitions, focusing on their legal implications and the balance needed to protect both patient rights and professional integrity

References

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Data Sharing Statement

There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Ethics Declaration

This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest in this work.

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Cite this article

Verma V. Evolution of Doctor-Patient Relationship from Paternalistic to Partnership model, advances to Patient Empowerment. Indian Journal of Legal Medicine. 2025;4(1):63-73.

Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

Received Accepted Published
December 12, 2024 February 13, 2025 June 20, 2025
DOI: N.A

Keywords

Medical consentInformed consentPatient autonomyProfessional autonomyMedical malpractice Healthcare lawConsumer-driven healthcare

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Timeline

Received December 12, 2024
Accepted February 13, 2025
Published June 20, 2025

licence

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


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