Client Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. Medical procedures can be risky, therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine according to the known risks of their body, how it will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are permitted to provide treatment to patients they must obtain the process of informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement that requires that a patient be given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical health and the treatment recommended by the physician in charge. Once this information is received patients must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of treatment can be given. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not permitted to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients may not have the knowledge to fully comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In some instances patients may not be able to effectively communicate their decision to health care professionals. If this happens, the patient is said not to have adequate decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court appointed representative in this case, can make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. The ones who are asleep clearly can’t make decisions on independent of themselves, so outsiders require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Client Consent Form
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The recommended treatment is suggested by the physician in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
There are alternative treatments offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with accepting no treatment at all
These details must not only be recorded in the documentation However, they should also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he she will fully understand the particulars of the case and get straight answers to any issues that may have arisen.