Consent To Contact Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Medical treatments can be quite invasive, so patients should be able, in the end, to decide in light of known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. So, before medical professionals are permitted to provide treatment to patients they must obtain the so-called informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal condition under which a patient is provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical condition and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. After receiving this information patients must offer the physician consent to treat before any form of treatment can be administered. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients may not have the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each one. In other circumstances patients may not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health care professionals. Under these circumstances patients are said to lack the appropriate decision making capacity. The family member, or court appointed representative can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot take decisions on their independently, and other people require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent To Contact Form
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The procedure recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with refusing treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be recorded in the documentation, but they must also been discussed by the patient. So, he is able to fully comprehend what is happening and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that may be arising.