Online Consent Form Template – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions regarding their health. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able to determine from the facts about risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can be able to treat their patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement that requires that a patient be provided with a full and complete description of the physical condition and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received patients must offer the physician consent to treat before any form or treatment can be delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional is not permitted to offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the ability to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other cases, patients may not be able to explain their decisions to health workers. In such situations patients are said to not possess adequate decision making capacity. The family member, or court-appointed representative, in this case, can take over informed consent.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. The patients who are unconscious cannot take decisions on their independently, and other people have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Online Consent Form Template
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The procedure recommended by the medical professional in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are available, along with their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing any treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be documented in a written document, but they must also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he can fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and will be able to get immediate answers to any queries that might have arisen.