Consent Form For Telehealth – Everyone should be able to make informed choices about their health. Treatments for medical conditions can be risky, therefore patients should be able to decide from the facts about risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are permitted to be able to treat their patients, they must be given the process of informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition that requires that a patient be provided with specific information regarding his or her physical health as well as the treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient has to offer the physician consent to treat before any form of care can be administered. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients lack the skills to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the benefits and risks associated with each. In other circumstances patients might not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health professionals. In these situations the patient is considered not to have adequate capacity to make decisions. A family member or court appointed representative in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, as an example could be classified as not able to make decisions. Patients who are in the state of unconscious cannot make decisions on own, and outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent Form For Telehealth
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and advantages associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are available, as well as their benefits and risks
The dangers and advantages with refusing treatment at all
These details must not only be documented They must also been discussed by the patient. This way, he is able to fully comprehend the particulars of the case and receive direct responses to any questions that may be arising.