Company Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be quite invasive, so patients should be able, in the end, to decide, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to operate on patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement under which a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical health and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. After receiving this information the patient has to be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form of care can be provided. Without informed consent from the patient the health professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients don’t have the capabilities to fully understand their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits of each. In other instances, patients may not be able communicate their decisions to the health professionals. In these situations, the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity for decision-making. Family members or a court appointed representative could then be able to take over informed consent.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for instance are deemed not having the capacity to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly can’t make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Company Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The recommended treatment is suggested by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with refusing any treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be documented, but they must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he or she will fully understand the particulars of the case and get straight answers to any questions that may have arisen.