What process best describes a patient's active participation in their own treatment?

The concept that best describes a patient's active participation in their own treatment is informed consent. This process involves explaining the details of a proposed treatment or procedure to the patient, including its benefits, risks, and alternatives, ensuring that the patient fully understands the information before agreeing to proceed. Informed consent emphasizes the patient's autonomy and decision-making power in their healthcare journey, as they must provide their voluntary agreement to treatment based on a clear understanding of the situation.

While patient education plays a crucial role in informing patients about their health issues and treatment options, it is part of the overall process that leads to informed consent. Documentation review and health assessment serve important functions in the healthcare process as well, but they focus more on recording information and evaluating the patient’s health status rather than directly involving the patient in the decision-making regarding their treatment.