“As I reflect on the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision, I am thinking about the responsibility that we have to our patients. I am thinking of the responsibility to inform, guide and council in order to support each patient to realize their best health care outcome; to be unbiased in our delivery of care and to respect the autonomy, decisions, self-determination, and privacy of our patients; and to approach each person with dignity, respect and compassion; to communicate with our patients in a way that they can understand so that they can fully participate in their healthcare decision making; to provide options and recommendations regarding the optimal course of action for each patient, with objective professional judgment, always keeping our patients best interest and autonomy in mind.
I thank you for the professionalism, dedication, care and respect that you provide our patients each and every day. Let’s acknowledge and be reminded of the influence we have and the responsibility we take on each time we interact with our patients and each time we step into the exam room.”
Dr. Chris Wilmer
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science
University of California, Berkeley