Consultation Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed choices about their health. Medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are permitted to operate on patients, they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition under which a patient has been given a complete and accurate description of the condition of their body as well as the treatment that is recommended by the physician in charge. After receiving this information the patient has to offer the physician consent to treat prior to any form of treatment is delivered. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances the patients aren’t equipped with the ability to comprehend the options for treatment and the potential risks and benefits associated with each one. In some instances, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health care professionals. When this occurs it is believed that the patient not to possess the proper decision making capacity. A family member or court-appointed representative in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, as an example can be deemed to not able to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious are unable to make decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consultation Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the physician in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with accepting no treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the documentation however, they must be discussed with the patient. So, he she will fully understand the particulars of the case and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that be arising.