Original patient autonomy questionnaire
| Normative statement | Autonomy concept* | Retained in final questionnaire |
|---|---|---|
| *I, actual identification; LJ, legal liberal; LI, liberal individualism; PI, procedural independence (critical reflection); NC, negotiated consent; SA, Socratic autonomy (existential fragility); as classified independently by two researchers (AMS, ACM). | ||
| 1. The doctor must choose the treatment with the least health risk, even when the patient wants a treatment with more health risks. | LJ | No |
| 2. It is good if the patients asks the doctor critical questions. | LI, NC | No |
| 3. If the patient does not want to receive information about risks, the doctor should respect this. | LI, NC | Yes |
| 4. It is better that the doctor rather than the patient decides which the best treatment is. | LJ, SA, PI | Yes |
| 5. The patient has to be informed on all the risks involved in an operation. | LJ, LI | Yes |
| 6. The doctor should not only pay attention to the medical aspects; he or she should also pay attention to the personal experiences of the patient. | I, SA | No |
| 7. If doctor and patient properly consult with each other, it does not matter who takes the final decision. | NC, I, SA, PI | See Discussion |
| 8. Every patient is obliged to actively think about the appropriate treatment. | LI, NC, I | No |
| 9. If patients do not understand something they should tell their doctor this. | NC, PI | No |
| 10. It goes too far when patients themselves have to decide which treatment is best for them. | PI, SA | No |
| 11. Patients should have the right not to be involved in the decision on the treatment. | PI, SA | Yes |
| 12. During the conversation, the patient must submit himself with confidence to the expertise of the doctor. | PI, SA | Yes |
| 13. The patient himself must choose between the various treatments. | LI | Yes |
| 14. Before a patient consents to a treatment he should receive all information on the risks involved. | LJ | Yes |
| 15. Patients who become afraid when thinking about the treatment decision should be left in peace by the doctor. | SA, PI | Yes |
| 16. If doctor and patient cannot agree on which treatment is best, the doctor should take the final decision. | LJ, LI | Yes |
| 17. Before the decision on the appropriate treatment is taken, the goals and wishes of the patient must be clearly known. | NC, SA, I | No |
| 18. The patient should, without much information on the risk involved, confidently undergo an operation. | PI, SA | Yes |
| 19. It goes too far when the doctor decides which treatment is best for the patient. | LI, LJ | Yes |
| 20. The doctor can presume that the patient knows that people can die during serious operations. | LJ, PI | Yes |
| 21. If a patient chooses a treatment with more health risks, the doctor should respect this treatment decision. | LI, LJ | Yes |
| 22. As it concerns the body and life of the patient, the patient should decide. | LI, I | Yes |