ABSTRACT
We are privileged to live in a society that values freedom
and the individual rights of its citizens to have the opportu-
nity to make choices that affect their own well-being. These
freedoms are exercised on a daily basis without conscious
thought and are many times taken for granted. For example,
people make choices about where they will eat lunch, where
they will have cars repaired, who will provide care for their
children, where they will spend their money, what leisure
activities they will participate in, and how they will use their
time. One of the most important choices individuals make is
the selection of healthcare. The choice of healthcare provi-
der, be it a doctor, a hospital, or an integrated clinical
system with a network of doctors and treatment facilities,
is a personal choice based on many factors such as profes-
sional competence, practice location, specialty of the med-
icine, and trust in the ability of the medical professional.
Selection of someone to provide medical attention is no
small matter to be taken lightly; being able to trust the
medical professional is arguably of the utmost importance.
