Physiotherapy Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Medical treatments can be invasive, so patients should be able, in the end, to decide, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are permitted to provide treatment to patients they must obtain the process of informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement under which a patient is provided with detailed information about his or her physical condition and the recommended treatment by the physician in charge. After receiving this information the patient has to be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form of care is delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the knowledge to fully comprehend their treatment options and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In some instances, patients may not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health care professionals. Under these circumstances, the patient is said to not possess adequate decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative can perform informed consent instead.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as not possessing decision making capacity. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot make decisions on alone, and external parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Physiotherapy Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment that is recommended by the medical professional in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards of refusing treatment at all
The items should not only be documented They must also be discussed with the patient. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any queries that might arise.