As a professional, it’s natural to feel to some extent that those who seek your services should defer to your judgment in your area of expertise. After all, you’ve attained the education, experience, or credentials that initially led them to you. But individuals—whether called clients, customers, or patients—have their own feelings and perspectives about the best course of action to achieve their desired goal, which must be given weight, even when it does not align with your professional advice. It’s this patient perspective that we explore in the features in this issue.
