The health care rights of patients have been the subject of much public debate and legislative action in the latter half of the 20th century. The fundamental right to quality medical care and compensation for medical malpractice, the right to informed consent, and the right to health care privacy, are all protected under United States congressional law. While these and other laws ensure many rights for medical patients, the changing nature of medical knowledge and care also ensures the continued need to regulate the relationships among patients, care-givers, and care-giving institutions. But quite apart from any legal issues, the recognition that patients have rights can transform the doctor-patient relationship from an authoritative and paternalistic one into a true partnership, with the result that the quality of medical care is enhanced.

Among one's rights as a patient is the right to make decisions about the course of...