Form Of Consent Letter – Every person should be able to make informed choices about their health. Medical procedures can be risky, therefore patients should be able to determine in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. So, before medical professionals can administer treatments to patients, they must receive the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition under which a patient is provided with detailed information about his or her physical condition and the treatment recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. After receiving this information the patient has to provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form of care can be provided. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases, patients do not possess the skills to comprehend their treatment options and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In other instances patients may not be able to communicate their decision to health care professionals. In these situations, the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. The family member, or court-appointed representative, in this case, can provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for instance – may be determined as lacking the ability to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot make decisions on their alone, and external parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Form Of Consent Letter
Certain elements are universally 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 treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, along with their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with refusing treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation However, they should also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. In this way, he or she will fully understand the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any issues that may arise.