[The patient's role in evidence-based medicine]

Medical practice has undergone a significant evolution over the last decade due to two important factors: (1) the theory and practice of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) has become widely established; (2) the relationship between health-care professionals and patients or clients has been profoundly modified. In this review, we discuss the heterogeneity and variability of patient preference and the need to develop a doctor-patient relationship, which facilitates shared decision-making in preference to previous models based on patient information without choice and paternalistic attitudes. Thus, this modern concept of care based on EBM shifts the focus of interest from the disease entity itself to that of the patient suffering from a disease. The patient has a right to information concerning his illness; this information helps the patient to participate in medical decisions through the laying out of clinical practice guidelines. These aspects of the patient's role in care management are illustrated by a national program in the field of oncology which empower the patient in the decisions arrived at by a multi-disciplinary oncology team.