Background Investigation Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. Medical treatments can be sensitive, so patients must be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks, how their bodies will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to administer treatments to patients, they need to receive the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition that requires that a patient be given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical state and the treatment recommended by the physician who is acting as the patient’s physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of care can be provided. Without the patient’s informed consent, a health care provider cannot provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each one. In other instances patients might not be able to communicate their decisions to the health care professionals. Under these circumstances it is believed that the patient not to have adequate capacity for decision-making. A family member or court-appointed representative could then be able to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, as an example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on independently, and other people need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Background Investigation Consent Form
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with refusing any treatment at all
Not only should these details be recorded in the patient’s medical records, but they must also have a discussion with the patient. So, he is able to fully comprehend the details of the situation and get straight answers to any queries that might be arising.