Application Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make educated decisions about their medical care. Medical treatments can be invasive, so patients should be able decide the risks that are known to be present as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to be able to treat their patients, they must receive the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement that requires that a patient be provided with a full and complete description of the physical condition and the recommended treatment by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient has to be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form or treatment can be given. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider cannot provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients may not have the skills to comprehend their treatment options , as well as the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other instances patients might not be able communicate their decision to health workers. If this happens it is believed that the patient to lack the necessary decision making capacity. Family members or a court-appointed representative can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, as an example can be deemed to not possessing decision making capacity. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot take decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Application Consent Form
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment suggested by the acting physician
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with accepting no treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be recorded in the documentation However, they should also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. So, he can fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that may have arisen.