Quest Diagnostics Minor Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be risky, therefore patients should be able to determine in light of known risks of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can administer treatments to patients, they must be given the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement that requires that a patient be provided with specific information regarding the condition of their body and the recommended treatment by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient is required to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of treatment is provided. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases the patients aren’t equipped with the knowledge to fully comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks and benefits that come with each. In other instances, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their decision to health professionals. Under these circumstances the patient is said to lack the appropriate capacity to make decisions. The family member, or court-appointed representative, then, is allowed to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for example can be deemed to lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on own, and outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Quest Diagnostics Minor Consent Form
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are also available, as well as their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with accepting no treatment at all
Not only must these items be documented in a written document But they also need to be discussed with the patient. In this way, he or can fully comprehend the specifics of the situation and get straight answers to any queries that might have arisen.