Bioethics: a patient advocate role for Osteopathic Family Physicians

The underlying holistic principle and philosophy of osteopathic medicine provides a strategic advantage for osteopathic physician participation in bioethical decision making for the benefit of patients; the broad-based education, training, and experience of the osteopathic family physician provides additional insight not readily available from other physicians. As the conceptual framework of the patient-centered medical home model advances as a desired care delivery model, as the increased use of hospitalists continues for inpatient management supplemented by single-discipline specialists and subspecialists, as discontinuity grows due to care rendered by multiple specialists as patients experience the intricacy of chronic condition interactions resulting from medical advances that prolong the human lifespan, and as more patients have advanced medical technology applied to their care, the osteopathic family physician's contribution to assist patients in managing this complexity will significantly increase in value.