Background Check Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their healthcare. The medical procedures can be sensitive, so patients must be able to determine in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can treat patients, they need to receive the process of informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding condition under which a patient has been informed of the physical condition and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. Once this information is received patients must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of treatment can be delivered. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases, patients do not possess the capacity to comprehend their treatment options , as well as the risks/benefits associated with each. In other situations, patients may not be able communicate their choices to health professionals. In these situations it is believed that the patient to not possess adequate capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative in this case, can take over informed consent.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear for instance can be deemed to not able to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot take decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Background Check Consent Form
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the acting physician
The benefits and risks associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are also offered, as are their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with accepting no treatment at all
The items should not only be documented in a written document however, they must discuss the situation with patients. This way, he she will fully understand the particulars of the case and will be able to get immediate answers to any concerns that might be arising.