One of the most important questions health care providers must ask is: “What should we do for this patient?” Scientific advances in medicine and health care have led to amazing innovations and a plethora of choices. The guiding principles for deciding among possible choices should be addressing a patient’s needs and doing the right thing for each patient. A foundational tenet of health care ethics is that just because we can do something does not mean we ought to do that thing. Health care providers must have a rationale for the care that is offered and provided. These rationales must be grounded in understanding of what is right for the patient who is receiving care.

For any patient, making the right choice can be a difficult process. What is right for one patient may not be right for another because decisions rely on scientific understanding of the condition and treatment...

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