Medical Professions Operating under the Sword of Damocles: “Negligent Doctors” vs. “Extremist Patients”

In the present day, the quality of medical care is contingent upon numerous factors, including society's comprehension of potential risks in healthcare provision, the promotion of risk prevention and mitigation, and the adoption of measures to redress the outcomes of risk occurrence. Medical activities, by their very nature, involve high-risk operations, where the outcome is likely but not predetermined. The most correct actions that result in maximum patient benefit can, unfortunately, culminate unfavourably for the patient. According to current legislation, medical practitioners must establish their own innocence, as they can face administrative or criminal accountability. In accordance with the principles of informed consent and autonomy, patients possess not only the right to receive comprehensive information regarding their diagnosis, treatment, and variations thereof, but also the right to make independent decisions, provided that such choices do not contradict Russian legislation. Nevertheless, certain patients' actions exhibit clear signs of extremism, adhering to the paradigm of "the patient is always right." Consequently, it is vital to safeguard the rights of both patients and medical workers to create an efficiently functioning and progressive medical care system, as well as an entire healthcare system. The challenge is to attain a balance between medical care standards and physicians' discretion. How can communication between doctors and patients concerning medical care provision be established? What are the criteria for evaluating medical care quality? What ethical dilemmas surface during the provision of medical care presently? What triggers and results from patient extremism?