Ethical thinking and stakeholders.

Modern medical practice increasingly requires us to think beyond the confines of the doctor-patient relationship to other stakeholders. Problems and issues that can be identified as being of interest to a number of people are defined as "focal entities". Stakeholders are those with an interest in the outcome of the problem or issue. The salience of stakeholders is defined by their power, legitimacy and urgency. The process of thinking about stakeholders can help to clarify our ethical thinking about matters of importance to people beyond the doctor-patient relationship.