Audio Video Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. Medical treatments can be quite invasive, so patients should be able, in the end, to decide according to the known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. So, before medical professionals are permitted to treat patients, they must obtain the process of informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding condition that requires that a patient be given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical health and the treatment suggested by the physician in charge. Once this information is received, the patient must provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form or treatment can be given. Without the patient’s informed consent the health professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients lack the ability to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other situations, patients may not be able communicate their decisions to the health professionals. In such situations patients are said to lack the appropriate decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative, in this case, can take over informed consent.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for instance could be classified as not having the capacity to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot take decisions on their independently, and other people must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Audio Video Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are also available, along with their benefits and risks
The benefits and risks associated of refusing treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be detailed in documentation They must also be discussed with the patient. This way, he or she will fully understand the specifics of the situation and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might have arisen.