High Risk Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions about their medical care. Medical procedures can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able, in the end, to decide, based on known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to treat patients, they must receive the process of informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition under which a patient has been informed of his or her physical health and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. After receiving this information patients must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment is offered. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the capacity to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each. In some instances, patients may not be able to convey their preferences to health care professionals. When this occurs the patient is said to not possess adequate decision making capacity. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative will then be permitted to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for example could be classified as not having the capacity for decision-making. The ones who are asleep clearly cannot take decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an High Risk Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated of refusing treatment at all
The items should not only be recorded in the documentation however, they must been discussed by the patient. So, he will be able to comprehend the particulars of the case and can get direct answers to any concerns that might arise.